Revolutionary
by Lord Darkly
Summary: In the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack, the Leaf Village was left without it's Third Hokage. Now, thirteen years later, a very different shinobi world marks the landscape. In a land where mercy is weakness, and the balance of power grows ever more rigid, one Uchiha stands alone in his quest for recognition.
1. Chapter 1

At the entrance to the Konoha Mission Assignment Office, a grizzled old man stood, clutching a half-filled bottle in his hand. He peered around, looking at the different Chunin sitting at the various desks, waiting to accept new mission requests. After a moment, he made his way in, red bloodshot eyes darting about, as if he were afraid of attack at any moment.

Many of the people in the office looked up to regard him, as he lumbered up to the nearest Chunin. This one in particular, a young tanned man with a sharp scar across the edge of his mouth, looked up from the desk he had been working at.

"Hello, may I help you?" the man asked pleasantly. The older figure looked around with a nervous expression, before bending in close.

"I… I need to speak the Hokage," he whispered urgently. "There's an emergency."

"And what would be the nature of this emergency?"

"Look. This is personal business. I'm sure if you'll just give me a second to talk to-"

The Chunin's eyes flashed dangerously at this. "I'm sorry sir, but you'll need to go through the proper registration. The Lord Hokage is very busy. Now, if you'll submit your request to the mission assignment board-"

"That could take days!" the man shouted angrily. By now, the entire room had turned to watch him.

"My people are starving on the streets right now, and you expect me to sit around and wait?"

The Chunin's expression looked worried. "Sir, please calm down."

"CALM DOWN?" He slammed his open palm down on the desk, sending papers flying off in a storm.

"MY GRANDSON IS DEAD, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME TO BE-"

Whatever the man had been about to say, he was cut off by the appearance of a sudden blurring over his figure. If one had looked closely, they might have seen the fringes of a matte gray cloak.

If they were a shinobi, they might have even seen a white mask, flat and unblemished, in the swirl of motion surrounding the older figure.

Then he was gone, with nothing to mark his passing aside from a small clink, as the bottle he'd been holding hit the floor and rolled. It spun wildly for a moment, before it too disappeared, along with the few splashes of sake that had hit the wooden floor.

There was barely a beat before the Chunin turned back to their work, but the same words echoed in each of their minds.

Hokage Decree #137: There are to be no public disturbances in Konoha.

* * *

"Lord Hokage," Iruka said nervously. He held in his hand a stack of papers, and stood facing the oaken desk said to have been created by the First himself.

Behind it sat a bandaged man. He was clearly crippled, but radiated a sense of control and regality, with stiff posture and an intense expression.

A single visible eye, dark and flat, turned to regard the newcomer.

"I assume those are your latest recommendations?" Even his voice seemed to echo with power. It was the tone of a man who had seen death many times, and still remained to tell about it.

Iruka held out the papers slowly. "Yes, Lord Hokage."

The un-bandaged arm lifted up with deliberation, and grasped the papers firmly. He set them down on the desk with a light thump, before turning his eye down to regard the first page.

"That will be all," he said with clear dismissal.

Iruka turned to leave but then, after a pause, turned back, and once again approached the oaken desk. The old shinobi looked up from his papers, to meet the teacher's gaze levelly.

Finally after what seemed like hours, Iruka spoke.

"Lord Hokage, I would ask that you consider Sasuke in the context of his achievements," he said firmly. "He's been working very hard, and I'm sure that if you take a look at his progress-"

"That boy has already been under my consideration for some time."

The Hokage's voice was quiet, but nevertheless filled the entire room. His single eye held a dangerous glint: a glint that clearly said Iruka had come close to crossing the line.

"Your dedication to your students is commendable. Now, if there is nothing else?" He said with finality.

Iruka quickly gave a formal bow, and strode out of the office, making sure not to go too fast. As soon as he stepped outside of the room, the Chunin fell against the wall, gasping for breath, and clutched his chest.

After an eternity he regained his composure, straightened his vest, and started his walk back to the Academy.

That had been much too close for comfort.

* * *

The orange washes of sunset fell lively on the village of Konoha. Over the Hokage Monument, the last rays of light shone as the sun set behind it.

Down in the worn streets, few were still up and about to admire the sight though. Most were locked away in their homes, already making their preparations for the next day.

One woman, an elderly figure, slowly packed up her fruit stock off a simple wooden stand.. Her face was lined around the edges of her eyes, and in her focus she seemed to hold a small content smile.

Then, the sound of footsteps aroused her from her work, and upon seeing him, her face twisted into a grimace.

The boy in question had black silky hair that pointed at odd angles where it reached the back of his head. Thin hands were thrust unceremoniously in his pockets, and he stalked down with an air of detached apathy.

Around him, other looks of discontent matched with hers. He walked past them without sparing a single glance, seemingly focused on the sunset crowning over the Hokage Monument.

In his right hand were clutched three orange flowers, open and inviting to the crisp afternoon air.

The boy, no older than thirteen, continued walking down the winding streets, paying little attention to the looks sent his way. He walked until his shadow was stretched longer than he was, and his face was half shadowed in darkness.

Finally, he came to a stop outside a massive white building.

After a quick nod to the woman at the reception desk, he marched up the staircase until he reached the third floor. He paused before a white door, collecting himself, before softly pressing it open. A figure was revealed, lying still in his bed.

Charcoal hair fell parted over the patient's face. Under both of his crimson eyes, one could see deep lines of fatigue, on the otherwise unblemished face. The man in question was looking out contentedly at the sunset clearly visible outside the window.

When he heard the click of the door closing, the man gave a small smile.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he asked simply. Sasuke gave a shrug, and sat down on the chair that had sat loosely against the wall.

They sat together in contented silence, until the younger boy fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I think I was accepted," he said after a pause. The older man gave a nod, his eyes never once leaving the scene outside his window.

"Iruka is very understanding. I have little doubt that he will vouch for you if necessary."

Sasuke's face twisted into the scowl that had been threatening to break out all afternoon. "If those bastards would just pay attention to the things I've done," he muttered.

The man let out a simple sigh, and closed his eyes slowly.

"Sasuke. You know how I feel about this," he said, obviously weary.

The boy abruptly stood up, his chair flying off the ground with the force of it. His eyes were wild and full of rage, and fists clenched tightly with anger.

"How can you defend them?" he demanded. "How can you defend them after all they've done to us?" He stalked around angrily, radiating displeasure and resentment with a quiet passion.

"You've done more for them then anyone else in the village, they treat you like, like you're diseased," he said, the words biting coldly.

The prone figure gave a small chuckle. "Ah, Sasuke. Are they wrong?"

He hated the way his older brother looked at him. That stare, full of something like pity: as if he was the one in the hospital bed.

It was maddening how he could act so accepting, as though the world hadn't done enough.

That was just the sort of person Itachi was.

The sort to take all the pain of others, never once minding for those who cared about him: those who hated to see him collapsing under the weight of it all.

Honestly, sometimes Sasuke wished he could hate the man, just to make it ache less seeing him like this.

"Sasuke."

Itachi looked concerned, his eyes tinged with worry. Sasuke sat down again, and with his free hand, gripped the armrest of his chair hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"You know they are merely afraid. For themselves, for their families and loved ones. For what would happen if they were to associate with us. You should not blame them for their caution, not when they have so much to lose."

Sasuke's anger began to evaporate, and he slumped against the back of his chair. Nevertheless, the rigid scowl remained.

"It's not right though," he said miserably. "At the very least, you deserve to be seen as a hero. Let them hate me instead."

Itachi reached out with a thin arm, and placed his hand compassionately on the boy's shoulder.

"I have you little brother. That is enough for me."

Sasuke looked down to see that in his anger, the three flowers had been bent like a pile of straws. Yet, even crippled, they seemed so happy. So warm and forgiving.

He supposed gloomily that they were perfect for his brother.

The boy stood up, and carefully put the flowers in the nearby vase. Itachi looked over, and smiled warmly at them.

"Tell me about your day."

And so, Sasuke spoke. He talked about how he'd hit every target right in the center, just like he'd been practicing. How he'd defeated every other student in Taijutsu, even the Inuzuka and Akimichi boys who had special training.

He spoke of how Iruka had smiled at him, and said that he was going to be a great shinobi someday, even as the others regarded him mutinously.

And all through it, Itachi listened contentedly, never once letting his smile falter, or his gaze dim. He listened with the complete attention that a painter gives to a landscape, and the endless compassion that only he was capable of.

By the time the boy had finished, the sky was dark and overcast, and the village only lightly illuminated by those few lights left on throughout the settlements.

That night Sasuke dreamt of black flames.

* * *

Long after his brother had passed, Itachi summoned his doctor. After a couple moments the woman in question, a short figure with a curved nose and straight hair, appeared before him.

"Still hanging in there, are we?" she asked, looking up over her glasses from the clipboard she held.

Itachi inclined his head respectfully, and she moved forward to examine him. With a wave of motion, the blanket that had covered him was removed.

The sight was cruel.

His limbs had grown thin and weak, collapsing from lack of use. His chest was little more than skin knitted tightly over a ribcage. The body was a patchwork of bandages and scars, with a single long thin one curving from hip to shoulder.

And over it all, there lay the burns, giving scarring patches of skin a graveled texture.

The woman regarded him sadly.

"I'll give you this much, you're dedicated," she said, looking over his body with undisguised discomfort. No matter how many times she saw him like this, the sight never ceased to amaze her. "You shinobi, always so sacrificing, leaving us to clean up the mess that you are."

Itachi smiled slightly, moving his gaunt form ever so little, and the woman found herself smiling as well.

"How long do I have?"

The question was said with a quiet intensity. The man's eyes were filled with concern, but not for himself. Not with fear.

No, it was the quiet guilt of one who feels he has failed, even after all of his efforts.

The woman let out a small sigh.

"If you were anyone else, I'd say less than a week," she said, her tone turning grim. "But considering how long you've lasted, I'd say a little over a month. Three if we replace your heart."

She looked him in the eye unflinchingly. They both knew what would come next.

"Please, do whatever is necessary," he said.

She looked unhappy, but not surprised in the least. "We'll do it tomorrow morning." The woman sounded resigned. "While Sasuke's still in school. I know you don't like it when he sees you like this."

"He won't be going back to school," he said, with the tinges of pride in his voice.

The woman looked at him questioningly.

"Danzo informed me earlier. He will be promoted tomorrow."

She smiled at him warmly, and tucked the blanket back over his form.

"You must be very proud of him."

He looked her in the eyes.

"I have always been proud of him."

And with that, she turned off the single lamp, sending the room into darkness. The light of the hallway briefly illuminated Itachi's face, before it shut again, leaving him in the shadows.

That night Itachi dreamed of peace.

* * *

Deep underneath the sewers of Konoha, a small boy sat rigidly.

His face was covered with a white mask, with narrow slits revealing nothing about his expression. He was small for his age, with spikes of blond hair sticking up from behind the porcelain.

He sat patiently, waiting for his next orders to arrive. The boy had done so for many hours already, never once moving or flinching from his position. One might have called what he did "sleeping", since it served the purposes of rest well enough.

That night, the boy dreamed only of darkness.

* * *

In the cellar of a simple smithing shop, a grey haired teenager made his way slowly down a stone staircase. His round glasses brilliantly reflected the light of the single torch in the room.

In his hand was clutched a small scroll, barely longer than the width of his hand.

With purpose he knelt down near one of the stone walls, and out from a crack, a snake crawled out to greet him. The teen grinned slightly, and laid his scroll on top of the curled creature.

There was a silent puff of smoke, as the being disappeared off to its true master.

His job finished, he stood up, dusting off his knees with a few quick motions, and left back up the stairs.

That night the young man dreamed of family.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1:**

The atmosphere was tense when Sasuke made his way into the classroom. Some of his fellow students regarded him nervously, conveying their own fears about the upcoming selections. Many shot him looks of quiet resentment, one among them being Kiba Inuzuka. He paid them no attention as he took his regular seat by the window.

The other students chatted together nervously for a couple minutes, before Iruka finally made his appearance through the front door of the classroom. He looked uncharacteristically grim, as he made his way to the front podium.

Sasuke and his classmates listened intently.

"Today, some of you will be taking your first steps towards becoming official Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf," he said formally. Iruka's tone contained none of its usual playfulness, making his speech seem all the more serious.

"Now, before I list off those who have been accepted to the advanced ROOT training program, let me say that it has been a personal honor teaching each and every one of you." The man said resolutely, nodding his head in deference. Some of the students found themselves nodding in return. It was humbling to see their teacher so uptight.

Iruka took a deep breath, before beginning his calls.

"Chouji Akimichi!"

The rotund boy stood up proudly, and made his way to the front of the classroom. Some shot him angry looks, expressing their anger at not having been accepted. One girl, a civilian by the name of Azuka, was wiping her eyes furiously.

Once the boy had taken his position, Iruka continued his callings.

"Hinata Hyuuga!"

"Ino Yamanaka!"

"Kiba Inuzuka!"

When Kiba was called, he shot a smirk at the seated former Uchiha. Sasuke, of course, said nothing in return.

"Sakura Haruno!"

The pink haired girl looked almost surprised to be called, and she knocked over her chair as she scrambled out of her seat. She cowered under the many glares sent her way, although they were silenced by Iruka's rebuking look.

"Sasuke Nanashi!"

Upon hearing his branded name, the boy got up to his feet slowly, and walked up to take his stand amongst the other accepted students. He stood next to Sakura. The girl shuffled a little towards Kiba, staying away from the dark haired boy.

He gritted his teeth quietly.

Shikamaru was called next, surprising nobody. He'd been taking advanced classes since the day he set foot in the classroom, and it had been clear from the way he walked up resigned, there would be weaseling out of this promotion.

Finally Shino, the quiet Aburame, was called up to the stand. He inclined his head respectfully at Sasuke as he made his walk up, surprising even Iruka. Then, the teacher put down his clipboard with finality.

That was when the rioting started.

Students flew from their chairs angrily, shouting at their former sensei. Others stormed out of the room in tears. Many wore expressions of shame and disappointment, as they slumped against their chairs and on their desks.

Through it all, the scarred Chunin maintained his resolute expression.

It was then that the front door opened to reveal a small figure.

Silence permeated the room instantaneously. The students froze in their positions, rooted to the spot under the spike of killing intent coming from the newcomer. He wore a flat white mask, not quite hiding a mop of messy blond hair. His clothes were a worn matte grey, with a single Kanji emblazoned on his chest.

Root. Origin. Beginning. This boy was one of those trained from birth in the Specialist Program. Next to him, another masked figure stood similarly, although his hair was dark and a sheathed tanto blade was clearly visible on his back.

Iruka roused himself from reverie after a pause, and addressed the two newcomers.

"I take it you are the students Danzo was talking about?"

They both nodded with such synchronicity, it was as though they were not two, but one fluid being. Iruka nodded at them in return before regarding the rest of the classroom.

"Class dismissed!"

The other students shuffled slowly out of the room. Many turned back to look nervously at the two Root members. One girl stumbled over the chair that Sakura had knocked over in her haste. After she moved past, the chair flickered for a moment, before correcting itself to sit behind the desk.

The accepted students looked on confused. Only Sasuke and Iruka had seen the blond haired boy blur slightly, before returning to his rigid stand.

Sasuke's expression narrowed as he regarded the boy out of the corner of his eye.

The mask merely turned at him slightly, before returning back to its rigid, motionless position.

It was then that another Chunin, wearing a smirk under his white hair, appeared at the doorway.

"Come. They're waiting for you." he said simply.

* * *

After they had walked down many corridors in the now-deserted Academy, the finally came to a pair of large oaken doors. They were worn and textured, from many years of use.

The man pushed the door open, and they strode inside.

Sasuke looked closely at those already present. These were the failed students from the last round of promotions. He could see another Hyuuga there, grim as ever, along with a white haired teen with large round glasses.

The room was an auditorium of sorts, with a single raised platform in the room. The assembled Genin and students waited patiently in silence.

Then, he arrived.

The man stalked with the air of righteous nobility, radiating authority around him. At his sides, two grey-cloaked and masked men strode, perfectly in synch with their master.

Danzo Shimura walked down the platform to regard the students critically. Many refused to meet the man's gaze.

Many, but not Sasuke.

When the eyes of the old veteran moved to regard the former Uchiha, he did not flinch or turn away, but stared unblinking back.

There was a tense pause, before the man continued his look past the boy.

Finally, he spoke.

"Today, you become a Shinobi," he began, "and a part of the Roots which support both the peace, and the prosperity you have had the fortune to grow up in. Together, you represent the very peak of achievement the academy has to offer."

His face split into a cruel smile.

"But if you believe this guarantees your success, you are a _fool_."

A couple of the assembled students shuffled uncomfortably. Sakura especially seemed to quiver under the harsh gaze of the Hokage.

"Iruka tells me you have mastered the basic skills of a shinobi. That you have learned what you need to survive out there against the enemy. Now however, it is time for you to develop your skills to better suit the needs of yourself and your team, past what we have _given_ to you."

His eyes burned suddenly with unrestrained fury.

"You think you are _shinobi_? You think you are prepared to sacrifice your very life for this village?"

The words were spoken with terrible malice.

"You think you are_ ready_?"

He slammed his fist down on the oaken stand, sending a thunderclap of sound through the room. All the collected students, young and old, flinched at the sudden sound.

"This is a Shinobi!" The Hokage yelled.

What happened next could only be described as carnage, as the two masked men blurred out of existence, only to reappear in the midst of the children. They attacked with ruthless ferocity and efficiency, sparing no wasted movements as the dispatched one student after another.

The children fell like dominoes under the surprise attack, and the men knocked them unconscious one after another, in most cases using nothing more than a single blow.

A chop to the neck. A fist to the chest. The sheer fluidity and efficiency was like a dance. The figures were hardly recognizable as human, amidst the blurring of motion and the swirl of their cloaks.

Sasuke felt himself go flying towards the floor, only to be caught with a kick to the stomach, sending him rocketing back into the air.

The pain was agonizing. It felt like his stomach had been forced up into his lungs. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think...

Then he hit the floor with a crunch, and burning needles of pain punctured through the boy's arm. He screamed despite himself, letting out the little air he still held in his lungs.

He could do nothing but remain huddled over his crippled arm, as a small pool of blood began to form under him.

Then, as suddenly as it had come, the pain disappeared.

They were still standing.

Sasuke felt deep disorientation after the shock of it. A quick look around revealed the others felt the same.

"Let that be a lesson to you," the aged Hokage said without a hint of sympathy. Next to him, one of the cloaked men lowered his right hand, the simple seal it had formed disappearing.

"This is what it means to be a Shinobi. One solely devoted to serving and protecting the village. Perhaps one day, some of you will reach this height."

He clenched the oak podium.

"Today, you will be organized into Squads. From this moment forward, you will take control of your own training. The village does not have resources to spend training hopefuls. You must prove your resourcefulness if you want to remain a part of this organization."

As he turned away from the podium to leave, he said one more thing.

"Only one squad will advance. Ensure it is yours."

Then, the three of them were gone, a swirl of dust left behind being the only suggestion that they had ever been there at all.

The white-haired Chunin coughed nervously.

"Alright then, the Squads shall be as follows."

He read off.

"Squad Eleven will consist of Nami, Sai, Rock Lee, Neji Hyuuga, and Ino Yamanaka."

As they were called, the two Root trainee and the veterans strode to one side of the room. After a pause, Ino followed.

"Squad Eight will consist of Shikamaru Nara, Tenten Yukari, Chouji Akimichi, Yoroi Akado, and Hinata Hyuuga. Finally, Squad Seven will consist of Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Nanashi, and Kabuto Yakushi."

The man flickered away, and the students were left alone.

"Hmph. To think I'd be stuck with you of all people," Kiba muttered. Next to him, Sasuke felt similarly.

"Alright then!" the white haired boy said cheerfully. "I happen to know where our training ground is, so follow me if you will."

* * *

The warehouse was massive, completely bare save for a handful of boxes that had been left by the main entrance. The walls were made of an aged wood, and dust swirled around as they entered the single room.

An unpatched hole in the roof let sunlight stream in and illuminate a patch of the wooden ground, catching brilliantly on the various flecks of dust in its path.

Patches of grass and vegetation rose up between the cracked floorboards. In one place, the floor was missing entirely.

"What a dump," Kiba summed up.

Kabuto smiled sheepishly. "This is actually better than what we had last year. That time they just dropped us off in one of the forested training grounds; took us hours to find our way back to the road."

"That wouldn't have been so bad," Shino said quietly.

Sasuke however, had immediately taken note of the boxes stacked to the side. After a pause he strode over to them, and started neatly breaking them open.

The first two yielded basic Ninja Tools, such as shuriken, kunai, and other assorted items. Mixed in with these however, were weapons unfamiliar to the former Uchiha.

A shuriken chain between two handles. A blade with jagged teeth-like knives pointed outwards. Two knuckle grips shaped like small blades.

All the while, Kiba eyed him darkly.

The third box held a number of scrolls, all the same size and shape, tied neatly with variously colored ribbons. After a pause, Sasuke realized that they likely contained techniques, meaning that the color differences referred to Chakra Affinities.

He knew from the nature test at the academy, that his two were Fire and Lightning. He picked up one of the yellow-tied scrolls, and tucked it under one arm.

"Lightning, huh?" Kabuto said curiously. "Wouldn't have guessed that to be honest. It's the most rare of all the types."

Nanashi nodded, lost in his own thought.

"Perhaps it would be wise to make an account of all of our abilities?" Shino suggested.

"I'll start it off then," said the boy with glasses.

"My name's Kabuto, as you already know. I've been in the Squad rounds for three years now, and seen a lot of battle rounds and strategies."

He scratched the back of his head absentmindedly.

"I'm not the best, but I do know all of the basic functional jutsu well enough to teach, I think. I also know some medical jutsu, and am fairly well versed in poisons."

He gave a small chuckle.

"Those woods came in handy for that. I'm also effective in Taijutsu, although certainly not on the level of a clan specialist. Beyond that..."

"I do know a handful of Genjutsu."

The entire team perked up at this; even Kiba. Sasuke's mind went spinning.

Genjutsu would ordinarily be a game changer in the rounds, but they'd had the misfortune to be pitted against teams with Hyuugas. The Root Specialists could probably brush off any illusion entirely, while the Nara would notice a change like that immediately.

His expression soured.

And of course, it would be barely a single battle before their enemies would be working on reliable Genjutsu counters. In the back of Sasuke's mind, he found a part of himself noting the parallels between the Squad System and what he'd learned about their history.

This was how battles were raged between great Shinobi Villages.

It was humbling.

Itachi had told him once that originally new Shinobi were sent on missions along with a Jonin Sensei. However, the Fifth Hokage had abolished that, along with many other traditional procedures.

He argued that not only was it a waste of Jonin, but also added unnecessary risk to the training of students. Eventually, it was decided that they would face their peers in combat, to develop advanced strategies and become adaptable. Once they had reached an acceptable level, they would be prepared for B-Ranked Missions.

The new system was an incredible success, with Itachi being among one of the first graduating teams.

They'd thought father would be proud.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Sasuke looked around to see the others were looking at him.

He gave a slight shrug, and spoke, not letting his emotions filter through.

"My name is Sasuke," he said somewhat unnecessarily. "My main strengths lie in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. As a mid-range fighter, my capabilities are limited by my proximity to the enemy. As such, I plan on learning long-range Ninjutsu before the first battle, to complement my shuriken and kunai throwing."

With that, he went silent.

Kiba grumbled slightly, and spoke up next.

"Kiba Inuzuka. I'm the best at taijutsu." He looked pointedly at Sasuke for this. "And don't need anything else. I can track my enemies for miles, and Akamaru here can assist in my Clan Techniques."

The small dog gave a dutiful bark, from his perch on the boy's head.

There was a pause.

"Um…" Sakura began. "I'm pretty good with shuriken and kunai, I guess. I know substitutions and clones too, as well as-"

Kiba interrupted.

"The only reason she's here is because she did well on the _tests_, and everyone else there was even _worse_ than her," he said with obvious distain.

Sakura quivered.

"She doesn't have a clan, and doesn't know anything outside of the standard core. In essence, she has no special skills at all."

By the time he had finished, Sakura was already gone.

Sasuke had watched her leave emotionlessly.

"That's..." Kabuto stammered. "I mean, we all have room to improve. I'm sure she'll pick things up quickly."

The boy merely shrugged.

"Whatever. As long as she doesn't get in my way."

"My name is Shino," the last figure said tonelessly. "My skills derive from my Kikaichu, which are hosted in my body. Their abilities range from clone techniques, to tracking, to draining chakra from the enemy. They can transfer poisons, as well as-"

"Yeah yeah. We get it. Your bugs are real useful," Kiba growled.

Shino merely nodded his head.

"Well." Kabuto said. "I can start by teaching you guys some of the more basic Jutsu used in the rounds."

Sasuke and Shino nodded, but Kiba stalked to the door angrily.

Kabuto called after him. "I think you'll find these to be rather useful!"

The boy responded with a single dismissing wave of his hand.

He walked off, and didn't come back.

* * *

"Shunshin," Sasuke muttered, as he sprinted across the wooden floors of the warehouse.

Instantly, his powered legs burned with energy, and he found himself moving with a swiftness he had never even dreamed of.

The very world around him seemed to dissolve into blurred lines, as he tunneled through the very air itself with the wind being blasted around his very body,

Then he slammed shoulder-first into a wall.

He yelled in pain, clutching his now disfigured shoulder. Blood seeped through his blue shirt, painting it a dark purple. He fell to his knees, desperately clutching the self-inflicted wound.

There was a flicker, and then Kabuto was next to him, his hands already cloaked in green translucent chakra.

"Hold still," he said simply, and began moving his hands across the shoulder, all the while frowning in deep concentration. Sasuke knelt for several minutes as the older boy repaired the damage caused by the impact.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the teen stood up.

"That should fix it, although I'd recommend checking in with the hospital tonight," he said knowingly.

Sasuke said nothing, but nodded after a pause.

Inside, he was churning in rage at his own failure. His first day on his own, and he was already injuring himself.

It was pathetic.

Perhaps sensing his mood, Kabuto spoke up.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," he said. "One of the reasons they don't teach this in the academy, is because an impact can be fatal. At least, if you hit the wrong way. We lost a teammate learning this one; he hit his forehead on the wall. Never woke up again."

By this point, Shino had made his way over to stand next to the pair. He'd only had enough chakra to attempt the technique twice, although he'd managed to avoid any collisions. Then again, he hadn't traveled far either.

Sasuke got up to his feet, and stared resolutely at the door.

He closed his eyes in concentration.

Then, he exploded forward, shaking the old wooden walls with the force of his movement. One of the boxes fell over, spilling kunai and shuriken across a part of the floor. The scroll he had set down blew away, hitting the one of the front walls of the warehouse.

When Kabuto and Shino ran out to see him, Sasuke was kneeling.

Around him, in the dirt, was a perfect circle.

The sunlight glinted brilliantly off the grey-haired boy's glasses.

"That was really something," he said with a grin. "I take it you've been training your muscles for a long time?"

"Yeah," he said in reply.

"That explains it then. The Shunshin relies strongly on the physical chakra aspect," the teen continued. "If you can manage to control that, you'll be one of the fastest people out there."

Sasuke bared white teeth in a malicious grin for barely a second, though it didn't go unnoticed by his companions.

Then, it morphed back into his regular flat expression.

"Thanks," he said without inflection.

Kabuto nodded in response.

Inside though, the former Uchiha's mind was whirring.

Soon, it would be time to show the village what he could do.

* * *

When Sasuke came to the familiar hospital room, there was someone else there.

He stood by the bed, appearing tall against the window and curtains in the room. His hair was a deep black, but not as deep as the cloak that seemed to always be writhing around him, from some intangible breeze.

On the back of this cloak, stark against its color, was the red and white fan of the Uchiha.

The figure stopped his quiet speech, and looked back with his uncovered eye to see Sasuke's accusing glare.

"What's he doing here?" the boy asked angrily.

In response, the man reached out a hand to touch Sasuke's shoulder, but he jerked backwards avoiding the gesture.

The one-eyed figure sighed, and turned back to regard Itachi again.

"Just... promise me you'll think it over, alright?"

Itachi inclined his head slightly, and the man strode past Sasuke out the door.

He sent a single sympathetic look backwards, before leaving them alone.

"That was very rude of you."

Sasuke shot his sibling a concerned glance.

"What did he want with us?" the boy asked, not quite filtering out his worried tone.

"It's not important. Besides, Shisui is a friend."

"A friend?"

The word was ejected with such malice it seemed to cut through the very air of the room.

"He cast us out, cast you out, for something we didn't even do."

"It was necessary."

Itachi's voice brooked no argument.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but you will have to trust me when I say Shisui had his reasons."

"Reasons."

A thick silence permeated the room.

The two brothers looked into each other's eyes for a long while.

"Fine. I won't press," Sasuke said.

Itachi smiled.

"But don't expect me to forgive him."

The smile fell away like a house of cards. Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly, and a small tint of red bled through the ordinarily black eyes.

"If that is your choice," he said flatly.

There was no compassion in the voice.

It wasn't cold exactly, but it lacked the warmth that Itachi's tone usually held.

In that moment, the boy felt sudden fear, as desperation and pride fought in a desperate battle for control.

He didn't have anyone else.

He was alone.

"That reminds me. I have something to show you," Sasuke said, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

With that, he spun around and ran out the door, flying down the stairs.

Once he got outside, he waved up at the window housing his brother. Itachi noticed immediately, and turned to watch him, expression unreadable.

Sasuke faced his target, a small clearing between two trees in the garden, and sped in an instant into the blistering speed of the Shunshin. He flew forward as the world once again blurred, and the chaotic pull of wind tugged at him as he flew through the air, not even touching the ground below.

It was then that his right foot caught the ground, and sent the boy tumbling and rolling for several yards, before collapsing in a heap before the clearing.

The graveled dirt path carved at his face and arms ferociously, but that was nothing compared to the sheer rage and anger he felt at his own failure. Sasuke climbed to his feet with as much dignity as he could muster, only to feel his leg give out under him, sending him back to his knees.

The humiliation_ burned_. It tore at his insides. Internally screaming at himself, Sasuke stumbled to his feet, ignoring the sharp pain in his ankle.

The soft chuckles of those bystanders who had seen his stunt made him want to scream.

Unwilling to face his brother, Sasuke turned and drudged his way home slowly, glaring daggers at all who met his gaze.

And so it was that Sasuke Nanashi, son of traitors, made a promise then and there to himself, as he limped home with all the pride he still held.

He'd show them _all_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2:**

The house was in shambles.

Grainy wood walls stood scratched with long piercing marks. Chairs lay overturned, and the furniture all sat at odd angles. The smell alcohol was heavy in the air.

It was almost entirely uninhabited.

Save for a woman.

She sat propped up against a wall of the dingy house, with a bottle clutched tightly in her right hand. Around her, various similar ones lay open and empty.

It was this house that Kiba and Akamaru arrived to, and upon entering, both of their noses wrinkled.

Two bloodshot eye turned up to regard the pair.

"Shouldn't you be at training?" She growled.

Kiba's face tightened further. Atop his head, Akamaru started to shiver.

After a tense pause, she looked back down at her bottle.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"I got in."

She froze at that, but it soon faded.

"Congratulations." She said with a sneer.

"Now you can go run off and _die_ like your fool of a sister."

Kiba's face broke in an instant, twisting into a grimace.

"Hana wouldn't have wanted-"

The bottle flew out of her hand, and shattered just inches away from Kiba's head. Akamaru yelped and gripped tightly into the boy's hair.

He flinched, but otherwise did not react.

"Hana died because that _bastard_ of a Hokage felt the need to attack two Uchiha_ in our own village_."

Kiba glanced around nervously. She laughed.

"And now you're going off to serve him. Should I be proud?"

She choked a small sob, and curled into herself.

Kiba couldn't take it anymore. He turned and sprinted out of the room, his eyes growing moist.

Behind, he heard her call.

"That's right. _Run_. Leave me. Just like your coward of a father."

He slammed the door behind him so hard it shook the walls. Immediately, the boy threw his fist at a mattress propped up against the wall. It shuddered under the impact, again and again as the boy pounded into it. Amidst the flurry, his fists turned into claws, and the fabric was shredded to ribbons.

After an eternity, he slumped against a wall of his own, a few trace tears making their way down his face.

The dog jumped down and looked at him with concern.

"Don't worry Akamaru." He said shakily.

"We won't have to put up with her much longer."

The dog rubbed up against his leg, and he put a hand down to massage his small partner.

Together they sat in content silence, while outside the window, the sun slowly fell down behind the faces of the Hokage.

After a pause, he muttered under his breath.

"Even if I have to deal with _him_."

* * *

A quick cut of the kunai put yet another mark on the wall of the warehouse. Sasuke landed with grace, his chakra-enhanced legs absorbing the impact effortlessly.

A small smirk donned his face.

Next to him, Shino made a quick sprint up the wall, and made a mark of his own. Kabuto smiled at them both.

"Ah, you're making quite a bit of progress." He said.

"It took me a lot of sleepless nights to figure this out."

Sasuke nodded, off in his own thought. Shino said nothing, but turned to face the doorway.

Sakura was there.

She walked in slowly, as if expecting them to turn her away. The teen shot her a reassuring smile, and she strode over to them.

Her expression turned puzzled.

"Where is..." She trailed off.

"I don't think Kiba will be coming back."

Surprisingly, it was Shino who spoke. Sakura gave a little sigh of relief, but stiffened when she saw Sasuke.

"Well then!" Kabuto said. "Perhaps you can give this a shot."

"We're practicing wall walking. It's a rather advanced technique." The teen grinned. "Now what you do is focus Chakra in your feet, so you can stick to the surface of it. For some, it helps to run at the wall; you know, get a running start."

"Is that it?" She mumbled.

He gave a shrug. "That's all my teacher told me. I assume there's some interesting mechanics in there, but I don't know em."

She nodded, and went over to the wall, glancing at the many marks the two boys had made.

The girl stood for many moments.

Then, she took a step.

And another.

Within the span of eight seconds, she had scaled the entire wall, far past the lower kunai marks.

"Remarkable." Kabuto said. "That's quite the talent you have. Chakra control on that level is rare even among the great clans."

Shino nodded approvingly, while Sasuke merely looked indifferent.

They trained together in silence for a while after that. Sasuke and Shino kept at the wall, while Kabuto took Sakura over to the box of scrolls to begin on some techniques.

It was many hours before any of them noticed a single sheet of paper that had appeared on one of the boxes.

The message was simple.

8:30 AM. Training Ground 7. Come prepared.

They knew what it meant as soon as they read it, and it filled them with anticipation.

The first battle would be tomorrow.

* * *

It was late in the evening, and Kabuto and Sasuke had both headed their own separate ways. Sakura was off as well, leaving the warehouse abandoned.

That is, save for Shino.

He studied the wall with a quiet intensity that was palpable, although it would not be evident in his vital signs.

Increased heart-rate agitated his inhabitants, so he preferred to avoid it.

With slow deliberation, he put one foot on the wall and slowly scaled his way up the wooden platform. He climbed one tentative step at a time, with all the concentration he could muster.

He slipped.

Shino felt his chakra run out the moment it happened, and sent out a cloud of bugs to cushion his landing. Like a muscle they responded immediately, swarming around him so fast it was as though a cloak had appeared out of midair.

He landed slightly off-balance, but corrected himself.

"Tch."

Kiba stood leaning against the door. His black shaggy hair was matted down under the small pup that sat atop it.

Shino turned to regard him.

"I confess. My kikaichu keep my chakra levels too low to allow for extended practice."

Kiba eyed him warily as if expecting some disapproval, before walking over to the wall a few paces away.

"Whatever. How does this thing work?"

Within a couple minutes, Kiba was making his way up the wall, Akamaru clutching carefully to his head. He preferred to sprint up, unlike his more stoic counterpart, who had begun again after regaining some energy.

Together they worked in companionship, as the light dimmed down to the darkness of night.

After many hours Kiba turned to leave, but Shino called to him before the boy could walk away.

"Our first battle is tomorrow."

He turned back in surprise. Shino nodded at the paper still lying on one of the boxes.

The boy scanned it quickly.

After a long pause, he shrugged.

"I'll be there."

Nothing else needed to be said.

* * *

Sasuke rolled over in his bed, unable to sleep.

It bothered him not knowing who they would face tomorrow.

Neither prospect was exactly appealing. If they were up against the Root Squad, they would be destroyed. That much was fact. He'd seen the speed at which the blond one had operated.

No. They didn't stand a chance against that kind of firepower. Not yet.

Shikamaru's group was another story.

His clan's history of battle strategy would've put him as the de-facto leader immediately, odd personality or no. In addition to the Hyuuga girl, they also had two veterans.

They even had Chouji, who would obviously be their close-range support.

He sat up at the edge of the bed, frustrated.

Ordinarily he'd ask Itachi about it, but he had yet to meet with his older brother after his _disgrace_.

The memory brought with it a deep rage.

No. Failure was not an option.

Sasuke rolled out of his bed, tugged on some clothes, and headed down to the street. He honestly didn't know if he was breaking curfew. Civilians were strictly forbidden from walking the streets after ten, but Shinobi had free reign.

Technically he wasn't one yet, and he didn't have a clan to support him anymore.

In the end, he supposed it didn't matter.

They'd probably seen him by now.

After a short walk, he arrived at the field that they would be fighting in. There in solitude he stayed from dusk till dawn, deep in thought.

It was when the sun brightly illuminated the top of the great stone hokage monument, that it finally came to him.

* * *

Training ground seven was a massive field, covered with tall grasses and wild-flowers. In the center a small lake was visible, surrounded by various jutting rocks.

The sun hung just over the horizon illuminating the tops of the trees, and painting the clouds a bright pink.

Squad Seven arrived in groups.

First was Sasuke, who'd been there for some time.

Kabuto and Sakura came together from the civilian part of town. The teen was wearing yet another perpetual smile, while Sakura seemed to feed off his positive energy.

Shino came in after that, walking in from the forest that bordered the field.

Finally, came Kiba.

From the moment he came into view his face twisted into a deep scowl. His chin tilted upwards slightly, and his arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

Nobody spoke for several minutes.

Then, on the other side of the field, Squad Eight arrived.

Shikamaru walked at the front, his back bent in his characteristic slump. Next to him strode Hinata, and behind them came Tenten, Yoroi, and Chouji. Sasuke breathed a small sigh of relief, unnoticed by his teammates.

When the other squad made it to them, two figures blurred over as well.

The first was the white-haired Chunin from earlier. The other was one of the Silents, his white mask as flat as his posture.

His grey cloak flailed in the light breeze that swept over the field, giving him a rather dramatic look.

Kiba grumbled something.

"Alright. I expect all of you understand why you're here." The Chunin said.

"Here are the ground rules. One squad wins when the other is fully incapacitated or unable to fight anymore. Lethal attacks are encouraged, as our battle proctor,"

He gestured at the masked figure.

"Will be here to step in and prevent permanent damage, as well as collect any of you that are injured or otherwise incapacitated."

Shikamaru's expression darkened.

"You mean to tell me we're fighting to _kill_ here?"

"Of course." The man said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"The Lord Hokage believes that these battles should reflect real encounters as closely as possible. You do not need to fear. We have not yet had a casualty in a battle yet."

"Very reassuring." The boy grumbled.

"Now then. On either side of this field there are marked platforms. Team seven will take the east, while team eight takes the west. When both squads are in position, a lightning ninjutsu will be visible in the sky. That will be your cue to begin."

The man's face twisted into a sadistic smile.

"Oh, and one other thing. As of this moment, both of you have just lost access to your supplies. The winning team will receive access to all of them, while the losing one will not only lose theirs, but will have to leave one of their teammates out of the next battle."

"But that's not fair!" Sakura said.

The man shrugged.

"We're shinobi. It's never fair. Now, if you value your future careers, I suggest you get get moving."

The pair flickered away, and Sasuke and Shikamaru shared a glance.

"I don't care what he says. This is just barbaric." The young Nara said. With that, he and his team turned off towards their designated area.

Squad seven walked back their own way.

After a short distance, Sasuke shot an accusing look at Kabuto.

"You knew."

The teen shrugged. "I knew there would be _something_. They mix things up each year, so the veterans can't plan ahead. Besides, it tends to get worse if we try to warn our teammates. I think they consider that an unrealistic advantage."

His expression turned thoughtful.

"Also, if you'll notice, Squad Eight didn't seem to be expecting it either."

* * *

When lightning came down to strike the center lake, both sides sped into action. Shino and Kabuto both pulled back for the treeline immediately, while Sasuke powered forward, Sakura on his heels.

They were quickly overtaken by the two streaks of Kiba and Akamaru, pounding their way forward. The very ground was torn, then thrown up in their feral sprint.

Sasuke did his best to ignore the Inuzuka, and think strategy.

Shino would be already sending out bugs to tag the enemy team, possibly with poisons from Kabuto, if he could find any. Kiba from the looks of it, planned to just charge in and take on the whole team.

Imagining the boy getting knocked out brought a small smile to his face.

They didn't need him anyway.

Armed with the shunshin, this battle was already over.

On the other side of the field, Shikamaru made a calm jog forwards, flanked by Yoroi and Tenten. A little ways away, Chouji was rolling forward, using his clan's ninjutsu to gain an early lead.

The Hyuuga's eyes were already active, staring intently across at their enemies.

"What are they doing?" Shikamaru said.

"Shino and the older boy are in the forest." she responded. "The others are all coming here."

The boy let out a small smirk. Of course; they probably wanted the Aburame to get some time to set up.

Not that they'd give them that time.

A quick nod at Yoroi, had the tanned veteran turning towards the trees. Tenten pulled out one of her scrolls, gripping it in one hand.

Shikamaru grinned.

It was as he expected. They wanted to try for an early attack.

This battle was already over.

Kiba did not pride himself on battle strategy. He preferred a quick victory; no dancing around or mind games.

That Nara was clever, and posed the biggest threat towards victory. Given time, he would get progressively harder to catch.

The solution was simple.

Take out the little bastard immediately.

Through his enhanced eyes, Kiba spotted a giant form barreling towards him at roughly the same speed.

Easy pickings. Both he and Akamaru turned towards the Akimichi, intent on a quick finisher.

Those techniques of his were powerful, the boy knew, but lacked speed or accuracy, something the pair of them had in incredible quantity.

They sped towards him, tearing up the ground.

When the pair reached the center lake, all hell broke loose.

The battle had begun.

* * *

Sasuke dodged yet another cloud of shuriken, desperately trying to get some cover.

That girl. She was supposed to be a long range fighter, not this damn powerful. He had to roll to the side to avoid a massive spinning blade flying his way. Realizing how close he was to the Nara again, he jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding a slender shadow.

This was a disaster. They weren't stalling; just getting hammered again and again. Sakura had already failed to dodge a Kunai to the head, and had disappeared in a flash.

Her clothes and tools surprisingly enough, had remained present. Sasuke hadn't had much time to consider the applications of this, before he was hit from the side by one of the Inuzuka clones.

They both had been knocked into the water, and that was when more blades had come, flying towards them with deadly accuracy.

Sasuke had managed to get out of the way.

The clone had not.

"AKAMARU!" The other boy had yelled, before pounding towards Tenten, hoping to end the storm. She vanished in a cloud of smoke, replaced by Chouji, who immediately rolled into a forward spin, impacting the Inuzuka.

They met in a clash of sparks. Kiba had already twisted into his Passing Fang Technique, and the the spinning ball ground into twisting form.

They hammered into each other, neither side making any headway. A pair of shuriken went flying towards the cyclone, while a slender shadow crept around to ensnare him.

On being caught by the Shadow Imitation Technique, the boy froze mid attack, and was promptly rolled over by Chouji.

When the boy had passed, nothing was left but a pile of clothes.

Sasuke had taken this opportunity to knock down the round boy with a quick fist to the head.

It had taken him a shunshin to cross the distance, but at this point, he didn't give a damn about playing his cards. He couldn't attack Shikamaru anyway; not with that damn Hyuuga girl guarding him like a watchdog.

At this rate, he wouldn't be in the battle much longer.

His left arm was already carved up with long cuts, where he had failed to dodge blades completely. His legs were similarly cut, and he could feel his stamina wearing out by the second.

Dodging another handful of shuriken, he knew he couldn't avoid many more hits. The boy turned and flew across the field in a blur, exiting high in the air above the forest he knew Kabuto and Shino were waiting in.

It was something he had realized that night, when considering his failures with the technique.

He had been a _fool_ for not recognizing it earlier.

Shinobi never landed on the ground after using Shunshin. They landed _above_ where they wanted to be, to avoid being caught by the ground.

He impacted on one of the tree tops, and weaved down through the great trees.

Perhaps Kabuto would be able to fight the girl.

Otherwise, they didn't stand a chance.

* * *

In the forest, Kabuto kept his focused eyes on the three water clones surrounding him. As one they struck forward, each bringing fists up ready to end the boy's participation in the battle.

A quick substitution got him out of the trap. He armed himself with a handful of shuriken, and sent some out to block the kunai now headed his way.

Meanwhile, Shino was hammered by another kick from the original Yoroi. The Aburame tried to release a cloud of Kikaichu, but his attacker left no room, and no choice but to continuously block. His arms were already bruised under his thick coat, and he knew his chest was in just as poor condition.

Before Yoroi could strike again, the teen leapt backwards to avoid a kunai, that impacted the ground where he had stood. He glanced up to see Sasuke strike from above, already twisted into a kick.

He brought both his arms up to block the move, but Sasuke spun like a top, bring his other leg around to impact the older boy's head.

Seeing no room, Yoroi made a quick substitution. Having had a second, Shino was now surrounded by a massive cloak of bugs. They exploded outwards like an angry storm, searching for a single target.

Behind a tree, the teen disappeared, leaving only some clothes and a scattering of bugs.

Their purpose fulfilled, they returned to their master.

After a pause, Kabuto rejoined them.

A quick look at Sasuke had the grey-haired teen running chakra-cloaked hands over the boy, allowing the cuts to sew themselves up. His glasses were broken, bent at the center. One of the lenses was completely gone, and a long thin cut marked the side of his face.

Shino was visible bent over, his chest having been hit by a number of punches, in his desperate escape.

Kabuto moved on to him next, and soon he was standing straighter.

"There were too many of them." Sasuke ground out, eyes burning with rage. "Sakura was useless, and Kiba didn't do any better."

The teen's eyes were serious.

"Do they still have the Hyuuga with them?"

Sasuke's shocked expression said the answer clearly. From above, a sudden storm of knives rained down on them, from kunai to tanto blades.

Shino stood motionless, as he disappeared under a shuriken to the head.

After he vanished, a shadow retracted back from beneath the thick coat, returning to the cover it had arrived from.

"SHIKAMARU!" Sasuke roared, and ran towards the bush where the shadow had retreated, being hit by a couple shuriken in the process. They embedded themselves into his back and he screamed in pain, but didn't falter in his assault.

He leapt into the clearing behind the bush, and suddenly stopped.

Blood spurted out of his mouth, and he could only stare, shocked, into the pale eyes of Hinata.

Dug into his chest was a slender hand, flat palmed and cloaked in blue aura.

"You." He ground out, before falling to the ground.

Oblivion greeted him with open arms.

* * *

"Where the hell is he!"

Sasuke woke to the sound of shouting. Dull pain ached in his back, and shifting, he felt bandages around his torso. Pain echoed behind his eyes, and his head felt dull.

It took his eyes a second to adjust, and soon he made out the blurry form of Kiba.

The boy's hands were wrapped, and one eye was held shut. He was yelling at a doctor by the looks of it; a few trace spikes of brown hair hung around the older man's head.

"As I've said, your partner was moved to the Inuzuka clinic." The man explained. "We felt they would be best equipped to care for-"

"I don't want to listen to your excuses." Kiba growled. "You knew I didn't want them to touch Akamaru. You _knew_."

The man sighed.

"We simply don't have the equipment to care for him." He said.

"You think I care about that?"

Sasuke allowed his eyes to fall shut again, but not before glancing around the room. At his right Kabuto lay still, his right arm wrapped in a cast. The teen's face was black and blue, which implied he had lasted for a while before being taken out.

The thought snapped him back to reality.

Unless Kabuto had somehow defeated them all, they had _lost._

He gripped his bruised hand into a fist.

Sasuke wanted to call it a fluke, but he knew it wasn't. Their team had lacked organization. Aside from Shino and Kabuto, they'd gotten in each other's way, and they enemy had used that.

Feeling his mind grow heavy again, he allowed his mind to slip back into slumber.

* * *

He was standing in front of the door that lead to his brothers room.

It was a drab white, and hung slightly open.

It almost seemed to be calling to him.

Sasuke ran forward and threw the door open, face already warming into a smile.

The room was in flames.

Black curls danced around the room, engulfing everything in it's destruction.

Itachi was gone. The bed lay empty and alit. Sasuke started calling out frantically, searching everywhere in the small room.

Then he turned, to see his brother's cloaked form move outside the white door. Sasuke sprinted after him, calling out to his brother all the while.

There he was, just at the top of the stairs.

Sasuke followed as fast as he could, while the flames chased them relentlessly, devouring the building. He yelled, desperately trying to catch up to his only sibling.

When he reached the roof, he looked around and saw only destruction. The entire village was crackling with black flames, wreathing it all in destruction. It covered everything, like a blanket.

Sasuke looked up, and quailed under the oppressive might of the moon, alit a bright red with swirling tomoes of the sharingan. it stared at him menacingly, making his entire body feel heavy and dragged down.

Then he saw, at the edge of the building, his brother's cloaked form. On the back of the cloak, the red and white fan of the Uchiha shone brightly in the darkness.

"ITACHI!" Sasuke yelled.

The form turned around. Sasuke saw his brother's face, and the two glowing red eyes that donned it.

Black pinwheels marked them, swirling like the flames.

He smiled warmly, and spoke.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Then he turned back, and with slow deliberation put a foot onto the railing.

"Don't leave me!" Sasuke pleaded.

"Brother!"

The other foot came up to join the first.

"I'm nothing without you." Sasuke cried miserably.

"I won't disappoint you again. I swear."

Sasuke threw himself to his knees, and bowed as low as he could.

His young face ground into the stone. It scratched at him, but he didn't even notice.

"I'm begging you Itachi." The boy cried through the tears. His entire body shook, scattering the small droplets on the ground.

"Don't leave me."

The last thing the boy saw, was the cloak was fluttering wildly as it plummeted off the side.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3:**

Sakura loved the crisp morning air she felt, curling over her skin. Mornings in Konoha started early, right as the sun began to peek over the horizon. The entire village was active under it, already busy with their lives.

They bustled about with a quiet contentment. She still remembered when a tense feeling had blanketed the entire village.

She had been young then. Things were different now. People had simply gotten used to the new system. Many didn't leave the village she knew, and wouldn't see much of the other great Villages.

She didn't know much, but it was clear that their systems were quite different.

Asking whether they were better was treason.

People smiled at her as she passed, an action she reciprocated. Everyone had been forced into friendliness so often it was instinctual at this point. No aggressiveness. Nothing that could be interpreted as hostile.

Yet it still felt so fake. Habitual rather than genuine. She tried not to let it bother her.

She spotted a bandage-covered Kabuto talking with a shopkeeper. The side of his face was covered with patches, and his arm was in a sling, but he still acted perfectly cheerful and amiable.

He was radiant in personality. Not a person walked past him without gaining a little grin, or perhaps walking with a little more energy.

Then he turned to see her, and widened his crooked smile further.

"Sakura!" He called.

He turned back to the shopkeeper and gave a small handful of coins. The teen grabbed one of the peaches on display, and left with a quick thanks to the man at the station. The man waved in return.

Sakura idly thought how nice it must be to live that openly, and have people respond like that. She knew of course that everyone was friendly in Konoha, with a few exceptions, but this was different.

People genuinely liked Kabuto, and he was so humble about it too.

He caught up to her, and began walking alongside with exuberant energy.

"How have you been lately?" He asked.

She looked him in the eyes for a second, before responding.

"Ok, I guess."

She had been an embarrassment. Sasuke, Kiba, they knew what they were doing. Just like the others did.

What was she?

The teen seemed to pick up on the mood immediately, and said, "Don't feel bad about the battle. None of us were really prepared for it."

"But you at least put up a fight!" she said. "All I did was get in the way. Don't try to deny it."

He sighed, stopped, and turned to face her.

"What you did on that wall was something I've never seen." He said with intensity. "Come with me. I have a couple things I want to teach you." She didn't see much point, but followed anyway. Kabuto had that sort of aura about him.

As they walked, they discussed the team and battle.

Sakura asked why the others weren't training, at which the teen merely shrugged. "Kiba has his own problems to deal with." he said. "As for Sasuke, well, his stay at the hospital has been extended."

She felt terrible. They had all put up a fight before falling. Compared to Sasuke, her contribution was minimal at best.

They walked down a handful of streets until they came to the training ground area. Kabuto had seemed to know where he was going, so she'd followed behind dutifully.

A grove of trees stretched as far as the eye could see, reminding her once again just how massive Konoha was. It was one thing to walk around town where the wall was clearly visible, but another entirely to be lost in one of the training grounds.

Kabuto lead her deeper and deeper into the forest, until finally he stopped, and turned around to face her. They had reached a grove of sorts, with just a small patch of sunlight peeking through the treetops.

"I want you to attack me." He said.

Sakura felt uncomfortable. She knew she wasn't the strongest, but still. Hitting someone while they were injured?

"I'm not sure that's the best idea.."

Kabuto sighed, and focused her with a powerfully intense look.

"Sakura, please."

She paused for a long moment. Then, she slowly pulled out a kunai from her pouch. His face remained impassive.

She took a few steps forward, picking up speed ever so slowly. The girl breached the distance in a few seconds, but before she could bring the kunai down in a slash, she stopped.

"I can't do this." Sakura muttered.

She felt the cold steel of a kunai against her neck. Her eyes flew open, and her breath caught in her chest with fear.

"What? But how.."

Before her, the figure faded away, leaving only the grassy forest floor. The kunai was pulled back, and Kabuto walked around to face her. "Come now, you're a clever girl. Surely you can discover my secrets?" He prompted.

"A genjutsu?"

"Ah. The most obvious explanation. An illusionary technique." He countered, walking in a slow circle around her. She had to follow just to watch him. "Don't _guess_, Sakura. Guessing leads to death in our world."

He stopped moving, and faced her.

"Too often shinobi mistake simple deception for Genjutsu." The teen lectured, his grin returning somewhat.

"Did you think they taught the Bunshin as a joke? The greatest defense a Shinobi can have is mystery. Who is to say whether this was a clone technique, or a genjutsu? Can you really trust your perceptions?"

His expression softened.

"Tell me. What are the three basic techniques."

"Henge, Kawarmi, and Clone." She replied without a thought.

"And why are those the ones taught in the academy? Why not other techniques?"

"They're too.. chakra intensive?" Sakura guessed. "Most students don't have the chakra capacity for elemental techniques."

"So if it were possible, they'd simply teach elementals?"

Her expression turned thoughtful.

"No, that's not quite what I meant. There's also a greater possibility of injury."

"I'll let you in on a little secret." Kabuto said. "These three techniques have been the teaching basis since _before_ the third Hokage."

"What?" Sakura blustered. "But that doesn't make any sense! I thought the villages-"

"Always changed their exact teaching formulas to avoid exploitable weaknesses. Yes, I'm aware of the textbook analysis. This should also tell you something about the importance of those techniques, considering how long they've lasted."

"I don't understand..."

Kabuto started moving his free hand animatedly, and resumed his pacing. "Here's a puzzle for you. You're a Genin; lowest on the Shinobi food chain, yet still expected to be able to perform missions. Suddenly," He waved his hand. "An enemy Jonin appears. They are armed, powerful, and dangerous. You've been isolated from your team."

"For most Genin, that is the end, but thankfully you've been raised in Konoha. You have the three techniques under your disposal. How do you survive."

"You'd have to be incredibly lucky to beat a Jonin," Sakura began, but the teen raised his hand to silence her.

"I didn't say beat. I said_ survive_."

She paused. It was clear that Kabuto didn't want some brilliant strategy involving smoke bombs. He wanted a survival tactic; one that would apply the three techniques in some way that could be used and replicated.

"These techniques are incredibly versatile Sakura. Disguise? A false body? Let's simplify things further: How do you convince the Jonin not to fight you?"

The answer came almost immediately.

"The Henge. Disguise as a higher level Shinobi, or as a comrade."

"A simple solution, isn't it? In the time we've been talking, I've already figured out fourteen different ways to survive a Jonin encounter using _nothing_ but these techniques."

Sakura stopped. Were there really that many solutions?

And she'd only come up with one. Feeling sub-par was not exactly a new feeling, but that didn't make her like it anymore.

"Improvement for most Genin is not bigger and flashier techniques. That does little but give them more powerful ways of wearing themselves out. No, it is _creativity_ that allows the best to survive. Why else would we have such a seemingly random and unstandardized program?"

She nodded at appropriate times, but inside her head was abuzz. Where was this coming from?

"Sakura. I'm not going to teach you some new elemental attack that won't do you much good. Instead, I want to focus _only_ on the intelligent use and application of these techniques. Then, I _might_ give you a Genjutsu to use, if I think you can put it to good use."

"How do you know all this?"

"I had a brilliant teacher. Now, suppose you're in a desert with no rations. In the distance, you spot a cart traveling..."

* * *

"He's not getting better is he?"

The nurse shook her head after a moment. Sasuke nodded, and stepped into the room.

Itachi looked even worse than usual. Where before his face had merely been worn, now it was deathly pale, and his eyes were half lidded, even as they turned to look at him.

The smile Sasuke had once found so warm, now only brought pain, seeing the complexion that surrounded it.

He wanted to look away. Itachi raised a hand, calling his brother closer. Sasuke came dutifully, even as his mind desperately tried to remember his apology. How had the words gone?

"Itachi, I'm.." Sasuke began, but Itachi waved his hand at the chair. Sasuke looked at it, before slowly making his way over, and sitting down with a thump.

The bedridden man spoke. "Shisui told me of your recent loss." The voice was quiet and wheezing, but still held his brother's firm resisted the urge to grimace at the name, and nodded.

"I know you do not like him, but he cares deeply about you. We have made arrangements for you to be transferred to his custody should I pass on."

Sasuke had always understood his brother's grave condition, but had always seemed so far away. His big brother was always strong.

This meeting was quickly disillusioning the boy of that. His brother was dying. Sasuke wanted to hold his hand. Wanted his brother to tell him how they'd always be together. It was a futile wish.

"He wants to bring you back into the clan." Itachi continued. "He believes that these competitions will convince the others of your importance."

Sasuke froze. Was that really what he wanted? He honestly didn't know anymore. It just seemed _hollow_. Where before it had been a goal, now it was supposed to be compensation.

He didn't want a _replacement_.

Itachi's hand wove around his smaller one, even as tears began to fall from the boy's small form.

"I'm sorry for failing you Sasuke."

"No." The boy ground out. It was like a snake had coiled around his neck.

"You never f-failed-"

_Why_, he roared at his mind. _Why won't you let me talk?_

"It's alright Sasuke." Itachi said. "Let me help you while I still can." The boy nodded, his eyes invisible underneath his dark hair.

"Shisui has agreed to teach you in the afternoons, as I am unable to do so. I know this is a selfish request, but I ask that you utilize this offer."

There was a long pause, before Sasuke nodded again.

"Perhaps I can still be of some use to you. Tell me about your team."

* * *

"...and I trust this will not be an issue in the future? I dislike ending careers so early."

Kiba nodded with as much respect as he could, towards the oaken desk of the Hokage. Danzo Shimura nodded in response on the other side.

"Good. Then we have nothing more to discuss."

The boy took this as his cue to leave, and made sure to bow before leaving the room. Outside, an Inuzuka woman was waiting.

"Can I see him now." Kiba muttered quietly. The woman nodded, and gestured towards an older man down the hall. He held a small pup in his arms, which quickly hopped down to rejoin the boy.

"Thanks."

Kiba left without another word.

Shino Aburame watched quietly as his short tempered teammate walked out of the Hokage Building. Through the dark lenses of his glasses, he tracked the boy with his gaze. Finally, he disconnected from where he had been leaning against a wall, to follow the pair.

Kiba lead them in a seemingly chaotic pattern, finally ending at a grassy plain of a training ground.

"Why are you following me." he said quietly, once the Aburame had come within a few paces.

There was no response.

"Well?"

"Shino is here to help you Kiba."

The boy whirled around, only to be met with the smiling face of Iruka. The tanned Chunin was no longer in his green and black vest, but instead dressed like a civilian, with a white shirt emblazoned with the Konoha symbol, and brown shorts being his only uniform.

"He explained the troubles you've been having. I'm happy to assist with your practice if I can."

"What happened to being an impartial teacher." The boy muttered.

Iruka shrugged slightly. "If anyone else asks for my help, I'll give it to them as well. So far Shino's been the only one. It was very forthright of him."

From behind the man, Shino nodded his head slightly.

Kiba merely sighed.

"What did you have in mind Sensei?"

* * *

Kiba blocked another one of the earthen clones with a swipe, sending it flying backwards from the impact. At his side, Akamaru used Fang Passing Fang to hold off two others. Behind the pair, Shino sat meditating, with both his hands brought together in a simple seal.

From the ground, six more clones arose to battle the pair, this time with significantly more power. They circled around, each trying to reach the stationary Aburame.

Nevertheless, the feral twins held their ground, batting the figures away again and again, returning to the sides of their companion after every swipe.

Within a few moments, all the clones were crumbled earth, and clapping could be heard from Iruka's approaching figure.

"You did well. Those were no pushovers I was sending at you." The teacher said encouragingly.

Kiba threw his hands in the air, as Akamaru reverted back to his smaller form.

"_Fantastic_. We're good bodyguards. How is this supposed to help?"

Iruka sighed.

"Protecting your comrades may not seem _important_ to you, but rest assured giving Shino adequate protection will help in the long run."

"And I suppose Sasuke will still be out there fighting?"

"Sasuke can fulfill a number of different roles. I expect there will be times when you will be the one holding off the front, while he protects Kabuto and Shino from attack."

"Tch."

"There is no shame in protecting your team. Sasuke's role will always be one of risk, regardless of where he is. You however, have a choice of what you want Akamaru to be doing."

The boy shot a look at his furry companion.

"I suggest you think about it Kiba. When he is fully developed, I have no doubt both of you will be very formidable, but perhaps for now it would be best to hold back."

He nodded absentmindedly.

"Good. Now I'm afraid I must be off, but perhaps I can help some other time."

* * *

"Again."

Sasuke flew forward, appeared a few feet above his intended target, before touching down on it solidly.

A few paces away, the one-eyed captain of the Police Force nodded.

"Good. I see you have a certain degree of control over it. Shunshin can be incredibly powerful when properly utilized, but the control necessary to use this technique is not something many have."

To demonstrate, the man summoned a clone of himself without a sound. The man became little more than a blur, sending fists forward at impossible speeds, wrapping around the figure in an instant to send a powerful kick. His blurring form could only be compared to that of the Silents.

When he finished, the clone faded away.

"The Shunshin need not apply to your entire body. The risks of sending a limb forward with unnatural momentum are large, but done correctly, it leaves little match in terms of power."

"Why doesn't everybody learn how to then?"

The man smiled.

"First off, it requires a Sharingan to use safely, and second; before I did it, such a thing was considered impossible. I would not recommend you experiment with it until you have a more complete grasp of the technique."

Whatever his other failings, Sasuke was quickly learning that Shisui was a great teacher. He regularly tracked the boy with the Sharingan to find exact problems in his posture, form, and chakra molding. Improvement was exponential under such a watchful eye, and Sasuke learned more about the Shunshin than he thought existed.

By the end of the day, the boy had practiced the technique enough to feel confident he would never catch the ground again.

It was still frustratingly far behind Shisui, but progress nonetheless.

They ended when a Uchiha messenger arrived to alert the Captain of something. He had looked guilty about leaving, despite the lateness of the hour, and asked Sasuke to return the next day.

Sasuke agreed, and the man parted.

That night, the boy thought for a long time about the mysterious Uchiha.

* * *

Kabuto's path home was slow and winding.

He traveled through grimy alleyway after alleyway, passing a number of people on his way.

They all shared the same gaunt look. The unfocused eyes, and dark sallow features.

He barely recognized them as he walked past. They were of no importance, and likely never would be.

These were people who had given up. The glimmers of intelligence were gone from their eyes. Once when he was younger, he had seen these people as human.

Now they were little more than furniture to him. Not worth notice.

As he walked, Kabuto hummed a little tune to himself. He didn't remember where he had first heard it, but it had haunted him for years. It was simple and a bit melancholy, but he liked it all the same.

As the teen took a turn down an empty passage, he felt a gloved hand clamp down on his leg.

He tensed in an instant, and whirled around to see his assailant.

The man was old. His teeth were visibly missing along the bottom ridge of his mouth. His eyes were sunken and bloodshot, and a woolen cap covered a mess of scraggy grey hair.

"_You_, I've seen you." The man whispered urgently.

"You know the master, don't you? Please, you must take me to him. Master will forgive-"

The man was silenced with a single flick of a knife. The teen quickly pulled out a scroll, and sealed the now lifeless body.

He tucked it in his pocket and continued his walk.

Now how had that hum gone?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4:**

He could _feel_ the stares.

Sasuke's well honed Shinobi senses picked up on them as soon as it became apparent. A glance to the left revealed a green-clad shinobi, no doubt a member of the Standard Shinobi Corps, idly watching him with something akin to annoyance.

Sasuke gritted his teeth with such force they squeaked in protest. Was the entire village filled with fools? Snarling at the injustice of it all, he shot a dark glare at a young woman who had been staring at him curiously.

She seemed startled, and quickly turned away to busy herself with a shop window, but Sasuke felt her keen eyes on him again as soon as he turned his back.

He couldn't take this anymore.

Pouring chakra into his legs, he leapt onto one of the rooftops, enjoying the distracting burn of his legs muscles with the effort. His landing was perfect. An attack-ready kneel with his arms already brought up in a block.

He leapt over the rooftops with the careless abandon of a boy who has nowhere else to go. No friends. No colleagues. No mentors.

He was truly alone.

_But I don't have to be. _A traitorous voice whispered in his head.

Finally Sasuke came to a stop on an abandoned rooftop, and sat down on the edge, letting his feet dangle off the side. He had to consciously loosen the muscles in his back, not realizing he'd been tensing them for most of the afternoon.

Itachi.

Sasuke let himself smile, thankful no one was around to see the small tear that accompanied it. His brother had come through for him, even in possibly his last few weeks of life.

He could be back with the clan. He could have a_ family_ again. All he needed to do was show that they were wrong about him. That he was nothing like his father. That he was worth something.

The small smile fell away like a house of cards. Shisui had asked for the impossible. His team didn't stand a chance, if the last battle was any indication.

They hadn't even fought against the other group yet, not that it mattered. If they couldn't handle Shikamaru, how could they hope to beat two Root Trainees?

Sighing at the injustice of it all, Sasuke pulled out a shuriken and idly gripped it between his knuckles.

And in that moment, Sasuke knew what he had to do.

Itachi. _He_ deserved to die a member of the clan. It was his _right,_ more than anyone else's in the world. He could give that to him. If he could win these rounds and get the clan to accept his importance, surely they would allow his brother too?

It was the simple-minded logic of a thirteen year old boy, desperately searching for a lifeline of hope amid a storm of injustice. Damn his pride. He'd _grovel_ before the Hokage if that was what it took to prove his loyalty.

Itachi was more important than that.

Sasuke stood up, and turned towards a familiar training field. First, his team needed to_ win._

_And for that, we have to start acting like one._

* * *

Kiba rushed forward as an earthen wall erupted from the ground in front of him. His four-legged run pulled him forward, giving his body enough incredible speed and momentum to leap high into the air.

His body was like that of an animal, arms bent at the elbows thanks to his enhanced physiology. He could feel his body _twisting_as he wreathed himself in Chakra, preparing to unleash his attack.

"Fang Passing FANG!" He roared.

The world became a blur, nothing more than endless streaking lines as the torque of his movement spun him wildly through the air. He couldn't feel anything through the sheer speed as his attack carried him. All semblances of balance and thought fell to pieces in the storm.

Then it was over, and with long practiced motions, Kiba righted himself into a hunched feral posture.

Behind him, the wall was cleanly cut through the middle, as though some massive mechanical drill had chosen to pierce the offending structure.

"Alright, that's it." Iruka said, panting more than the young boy in front of him. "I'm spent on Chakra for the day. You'll have to practice the rest yourself."

The teacher sent an encouraging grin towards the boy, which Kiba found himself reciprocating, too tired to stop himself. The rush of battle still ran through him, keeping his senses alert and alive.

He could feel the thrill running through his body, along with the burning feeling of it losing it's feral enhancement. The ache in his muscles grew stronger by the second, but he didn't mind it a bit.

He knew with a sinking feeling, that his rush wouldn't last. Without maintaining the chakra that allowed for his feral taijutsu, his mind would twist back to normal, and clarity would be lost once again.

_Why does everything have to be so damn complicated._ He found himself thinking. Things were so much simpler from his more beastlike perspective.

He sighed, and thanked Iruka for his time. He still didn't know why his teacher was helping him. Boredom perhaps? A passing interest?

In the end, what did it matter. He was getting training.

Iruka's ears pricked up, a motion which Kiba's still somewhat enhanced mind picked up on. Pouring more chakra into his sensitive nose, he allowed his awareness to open up once again, feeling the fields and forests around their small training field.

The smell was distinctive. It was of disinfectant and cleaning supplies, reminiscent of the unnatural cleanness one found around hospitals.

Kiba turned, half expecting to see Kabuto.

To his surprise, it was Sasuke.

The wind whirled around where the boy stood, hands in pockets and holding an unreadable expression. The boy's dark eyes were peering at him closely, somewhere between apathy and contemplation.

Kiba felt his hands instinctively ball into fists. Of course _he_ would be here. Could he not get a little peace?

"Sasuke." Iruka greeted.

The boy's only response was a disinterested nod, but his eyes kept closely on Kiba. From the confines of a shaggy hood, two slit-like eyes peered back, not sure quite how to react.

Finally, those dark eyes flicked up towards Iruka.

"I wish to speak with him."

The teacher gave a light shrug, as if to say "don't ask me", then disappeared within a small swirl of leaves.

Kiba crossed his arms.

"Alright Nanashi. What is it."

Sasuke didn't respond immediately, and during that pause, the Inuzuka's nose picked up on some interesting smells from the boy, now that he was so close. Uncertainty? Fear? Or was that simply him feeling uncomfortable?

Sasuke's brow furrowed.

"I heard about your sister."

Kiba didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. Unbidden, thoughts of her flickered across his mind. Her smiles. The way she held herself. Her smell._.._

"What do you _want_, Nanashi." Kiba forced out through gritted teeth. His still elongated canines stuck out sharply in his now bared mouth.

Sasuke didn't rouse to anger. His apathetic mask held, but for a brief moment, Kiba was sure he saw something there. What it was, he wasn't sure.

"I want us to work together."

Kiba's sharp eyes narrowed even further.

"And how do you suppose _that's_ going to happen."

Sasuke's voice was toneless, but he could feel the pain behind the words. As the boy spoke, his eyes turned up to the sky, reflecting the white puffy clouds in their darkness.

"My brother is dying."

Kiba's angry expression fell away, replaced by confusion. He didn't know much about the reclusive other Nanashi, aside from that he had been on a team with his sister.

"Good."

Sasuke's mask broke. He could see it happen. See the anger bleed into Nanashi's eyes. See the way his fist balled, his shoulders tensed, and his jawline tightened.

"Itachi is a _hero_."

"And my sister was unlucky enough to be on his team." Kiba retorted, enjoying seeing the frustration build up in his teammate. Good. Let him _suffer_. Let him feel guilty.

"I'll never get her back Sasuke." The Inuzuka growled. "I'll never hear her voice again. Can you understand that?"

He couldn't quite drown out the voice in the back of his head. The voice saying that this wasn't what Hana would of wanted. That she would hate to see him like this.

Maybe it was petty, but at this point he didn't give a damn. The bastard who had taken it all away was standing right in front of him, and expected his help?

"I lost my parents that night." Sasuke said, eyes narrowing. "Traitors or not, I lost them. And now I'm about to lose my brother, so don't talk to me about not _understanding_, Kiba."

The boy's posture straightened, and his arms came out of his pockets to form a simple stance.

The Uchiha kata.

Kiba stared at the outstretched hand of his teammate for a long moment. His feral slit-like eyes flicked up into the the coolly dispassionate gaze of Sasuke's.

Then, at the same instant, they_ blurred._

A split second later, the two met in the air, several feet away from where they had been standing. The collision revealed an extended leg, spun clockwise to meet a powerful clawed fist.

Then they were gone in another blur, kicking up dust along the ground as they went. Briefly, one could see flickers as they clashed, fist into claw, shoulder against elbow. Along the way, Kiba had fully adopted his feral form, hunched over on all four limbs. His enhancements gave him mobility earlier impossible, and the boy rushed forward, catching his smaller opponent by surprise.

The former Uchiha was flung backwards into the air with a powerful kick. The Inuzuka's form blurred to the side, as he prepared to follow up to his attack.

Sasuke spun to the right and brought his arms up to cross in a counter, just in time to block as Kiba burst through the dust cloud before him, leaping forward with all the lean grace of a wolf. A clawed hand raked across the crossed arms, tearing neatly through the skin and fabric where it met, dying them red in an instant.

Droplets of blood flew through the air, but in that moment, Kiba knew he was vulnerable, and before he could bring his extended arm back, he felt a kick smash into his side, as Sasuke twisted out of his block to bring around his right leg. The impact sent Kiba flying into the ground, rolling shoulder after shoulder for several feet before he finally landed in a cloud of dust.

Sasuke landed hunched, face unreadable and eyes hidden in shadows behind his loose black hair. On his arms, long thick streaks of red showed where skin had been torn by Kiba's claws, and his chest expanded and closed in rapid succession, as his body fought to collect the oxygen it so desperately needed.

Kiba stirred from his position, pushing himself up with his two legs and unbruised hand, the other clutched close to his chest.

"Damn you." He coughed out, as small bits of gravel fell down from his form. There was silence except for Kiba's long panting breaths. The Inuzuka struggled to regain his energy, but before he could move, he saw a blurred form in front of him.

It was a hand, outstretched.

Kiba took it, and looked up the arm into the blank face of Sasuke Nanashi, where two luminescent red eyes stared back at him. At their bottom, a single black tomoe could be seen in each one. Behind the boy, a dark red sunset shone brilliantly, casting his body into shadows, and giving his eyes an ominous glow.

"Thank you." Sasuke said, through the crystal clarity of the Sharingan.

And he meant it.

* * *

Iruka let out a small sigh from his perch on a far treetop. Observing that fight had made him nervous for the health of his two students, but now, watching Sasuke pull up the boy he had only just a moment ago beaten into the ground, he found himself smiling.

_Those two; perhaps they can help heal each other. They've been through so much. _He thought, eyes tracing their walk back towards Konoha.

In any case, it seemed his services were no longer required.

With another swirl of leaves he vanished in a Shunshin, landing several seconds later on a rooftop outside the Hokage building.

His smile persisted well into the night, when he finally finished with his duties.

* * *

Kiba walked slowly next to his silent companion, turning over in his mind what had just happened.

Sasuke Nanashi was a traitor. His father had conspired to assassinate the Hokage and take over Konoha, putting the Uchiha in complete control. They were _villains_, attempting to ruin the peace and prosperity of the village.

It was obvious, so why did he find himself doubting those statements?

Sasuke hadn't said anything since his odd thanks, and Kiba still didn't know what he was supposed to say. _Damn_ him. Why did he have to make hating him so difficult?

It was easy to blame his young companion for the problems surrounding his life. Since his sister's death, and his mother's near mental breakdown, he'd felt as though his life were effectively stolen from him. Once his mother had proven unstable, her position as the clan head had been overturned, and although many felt sympathy for his position, no one had stepped up to vouch for him. Not a single person.

They tried to hide it from him, how she died, but he'd heard enough.

She had been in the team that assaulted the Uchiha Building, and had perished during the mission. The details had been muddy, but one thing was clear. Sasuke's family was involved, and that had been enough for him. He had been a fool to assume poorly of his classmate, but he'd hardly been the only one. Out of the class, nobody had reached out to the then eleven boy, who had no family aside from a brother in a hospital.

With an uncomfortable pang of guilt in his chest, he realized that out of everyone there,_ he_ should have understood.

"I'm sorry about your brother." He mumbled, turning his eyes down and away. Sasuke inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"He was the first to graduate through the Root Program." The boy's tone held noticeable tinges of pride. "He was expected to be the best in the village; there was even talk of him being a potential successor to Danzo."

Sasuke's chest shook.

"He threw it all away, saving _me_." The boy continued, as his face tightened in anger. "He could have had everything, and now he's in a _hospital_, because I wasn't strong enough to save myself. Because I was pathetic, and _weak_."

Kiba didn't know what to say. He was still struggling with the idea that the teammate walking next to him was not so different from himself.

"And they hate him." Sasuke continued, unable to hold back the floodgates of emotion pouring through him. "Of all the injustices, they cast him out, despite everything he's done for this village. It's like everyone's forgotten his sacrifice. Like it's_meaningless_."

The words were hissed out with such ferocity it made him shudder. By his side, Kiba had now turned to observe his teammate's face, with something between curiosity and confusion on his own.

Silence reigned for several moments, aside from the steady pattern of their footsteps.

"I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Sasuke half-muttered, half growled. "It seems the clan's finally gotten over it's prejudice. The Captain wants to induct me back into the clan, on the _condition_ that I graduate this upcoming spring."

Kiba nodded his head, surprised at how much the usually-silent boy was opening up to him.

"When I graduate, I'll be recognized as an adult, and be able to move away from my mother." He said, after a pause. "She went off the deep end when Hana died, and since she lost Kuromaru..."

The rest didn't need to be said. Everyone knew about the deep connections the Inuzuka held with their companions. Many considered the death of one to be akin to losing a limb. They weren't the same without their partner-for-life.

It was one of the things that had pushed the pair of them away from the rest of the clan.

"We have to win these rounds." Sasuke said. "Itachi won't last much longer, and I want him to at least have his name before he passes."

Kiba said, "I don't know how the hell we're going to beat those root freaks, but I..."

Damn it all. This was too confusing.

"That doesn't seem right about your brother, _assuming_ what you said is true," A bit of Kiba's normal growl had entered into his voice, but it seemed forced.

"Just... I'll think about it."

"Good."

Sasuke's face had dipped once more into emotionless apathy, and with a start, Kiba realized they were nearing the center of the village.

The pair of them arrived at a fork in the graveled path, leading down two very different roads. One lead left, up towards the Hokage Monument, where the great clans and more important buildings were located. The other swerved down towards the village gates, where the less favorable housings stood in disrepair.

After all, as anyone with a lick of sense knew, living close to the gates of a _Shinobi Village_ was a less than favorable position.

Kiba grunted, and turned off onto the right path.

Sasuke stared after him for a long while, tracing the boy's movements with reactivated red eyes. They tracked the slumped posture, the up and down movement his shoulders, the way his feet dug deeply into the ground, as though he expected it to not be there when he looked away.

Sasuke stared, and for the first time that day, allowed himself a small smile.

* * *

In the darkness of an underground cell, Danzo Shimura sat hunched over a desk. It was smooth and flawless, made with a single form of polished stone that had been drawn from the floor. It's simple modern design was of the sort only possible through Earth Techniques.

It suited the man. Solid, and designed for efficiency. On it, several folders and stacks of paper were neatly set around him.

His one eye flicked up to the single entrance of the room. Without a sound, the smooth steel door swung open, it's frame less than a centimeter above the perfectly level stone floor.

A masked Silent approached the desk, and knelt before his master, awaiting instruction.

"What have you discovered?" The Hokage asked, the steely tones of authority permeating his voice. The man arose from his kneel, and flashed through several handsigns. They were a unique code known only to those highest ranked in the village.

To Danzo they registered as fluently as speech. He had invented them after all.

_Infiltration successful. Targets sighted at area code 156-72. Hostile numbers approximate 5600. 147 confirmed. Target 013 sighted with Target 014 and Target 015._ _Byakugan Confirmation_.

"See Kaze for your next instructions." Danzo said, turning away from the man, not bothering to watch as the door was neatly swept closed, and the Silent disappeared behind it's swing.

His eye stared blankly at his casted hand, while his mind turned over this latest predicament.

"Those three working together," He muttered. "After all this time." His eye focused on the Hokage's hat, sitting loosely on the far corner of the desk.

The man grimaced.

"Even in death, you continue to foil me, _Hiruzen_."


	6. Chapter 6

Sakura and Kabuto were the last to arrive at the dimly-lit training field. It was late evening, with the sun already passed over the horizon, covering the world in darkness. Waiting there were Sasuke and Kiba, both with fiery expressions, and Shino, who blended in with the tree he was leaning against so well, Sakura's eyes passed him over twice.

She was nervous. Kabuto had assured her of his confidence, but to place so much of the match in her hands... Seeing those disappointed looks from her teammates was something she didn't want to ever have to face again.

Guilt flooded her chest. She didn't _mean_ to be a burden. She'd thought she'd been doing well. Iruka's subtle pushes to train more physically echoed in her mind.

"You're doing it again." Kabuto said, with slight reproach.

"Oh. Right, sorry."

From his walk beside her, he slipped his hand into hers, clenching it. Then, he let go, and the rest of the team stood in front of them.

"We need to discuss who will be staying out this match." Sasuke said.

While his eyes did not look pointedly at Sakura, the tension in regards to her was clearly present. Kiba abandoned subtlety altogether, and made his point by glaring at her, along with his small companion.

"That will not be necessary. I plan to withdraw."

The surprise was evident on Kiba's face, and although Shino and Sasuke did not react visibly, it was clear that they were surprised. "Unacceptable." the former Uchiha said, frowning a bit. "You have more experience than any of us. Your value is-"

"I wasn't asking, Sasuke." was the teen's reply. Sakura looked up at his face. He grinned down at her.

"I won't be participating in this match, one way or another."

"...Kabuto." It was clear from the boy's tone that he was unused to diplomacy. "We cannot afford this right now. If we fail another match, we might not be able to recover."

"I am aware of the potential consequences. I have faith that she will be more useful than me though."

"I don't." Kiba said bluntly.

Further argument was prevented by the appearance of two figures, one masked and cloaked, the other in his familiar green vest.

"Alright kids. We're gonna have to pick up the pace with these." the man said, in the tone a medic-nin might use while dealing with a _very_ irritating patient.

"Orders from up top say we need you guys decked out and ready for field combat within the month. Rounds will be taking place every day, so I suggest you get your team situation figured out soon." He chucked a pair of scrolls at Sasuke, which the boy deftly caught.

"We usually wait until halfway through before having you learn these, but the clock is ticking. If your entire team does not learn both of these techniques within a week, you will be disqualified."

While Sasuke and Shino considered the possible causes of such an order, Kiba took the more direct approach.

"What's got the Hokage so riled up?"

"The _Lord_ Hokage's thoughts are not privy to me." the white-haired man said, sounding slightly affronted. "Nor you, until you have proven able to hold up against extended torture. Luckily, that particular training is only necessary for those going into the Advanced Program, something I doubt many of you will be."

The tightening of Sasuke's fist only seemed to increase the man's satisfaction.

"Alright. Through that forest over there is another marked platform. I trust you'll be able to find it. Once my friend here is sure all three teams are in position, he'll send up a flare. That will be your cue to assault. Last team standing gets a set of advanced gear for each of their members, along with legal authority to purchase explosive tags."

"All three squads?" Sakura asked.

The man bared a toothy smile.

"All three. Try to survive out there."

With that, he and his companion vanished into the shadows. Kabuto gave Sakura a reassuring pat on the shoulder, while Kiba and Sasuke shared a glance. Shino came up from against the tree, and walked over to join them.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Sasuke muttered. Kabuto merely gave a shrug, and walked back the way he came.

"Good luck out there. Let me know how it goes."

* * *

"This time, that boy will not defeat me!" a teen yelled, round eyes burning with determination. At his side, a pale-eyed Hyuuga grunted in dismissal, turning to peer with his doujutsu across the forest.

Two other boys stood silently, masked and armored in the vests they seemed to have been born in. "Root" lay emblazened on their chests in a massive kanji. On her own looking very unhappy, Ino Yamanaka sat on a fallen tree.

_Why does Sakura get the team with the nice guys? _She wondered bitterly. Her squad had thus far succeeded in denying her existence completely, despite her attempts at friendliness. The most she had gotten was a slight tilting of the head from the blond baby-silent, and while eyebrows was at least not an asshole, he was too busy with his own declarations to talk to anyone else.

Hrmph. That one with glasses had looked like a bit of a pushover, but at least he smiled, not like crazy-hands and the two toasters over there.

_Stupid Hyuugas with their stupid stuck-up egos.._

* * *

"If we want to last long, we _need_ to win this match." Shikamaru muttered. One hand was holding a bag of ice up to a sizable bruise on the side of his face. He was still having trouble controlling his facial muscles, even after Hinata had reversed the closed tenketsu.

Hinata was busy staring at her hands, which lay neatly on her knees. Tenten was leaning against one of the trees, picking her nails with a kunai. Chouji sat munching furiously through a bag of chips, while Yoroi looked ready to strangle anyone that got near him.

"Our best hope is to let Sasuke and his team wear down the others." He said, brushing off his shorts as he stood up. "Problem is, they'll probably be attempting the same thing, and Squad Eleven isn't going to be just twiddling their thumbs."

"So... what can we do?" Chouji said, inbetween munches.

Shikamaru frowned.

"Not much." he admitted. "We have Hinata at least, so we can be aware of what's going on. Problem is, Squad 11 has one of their own. It won't take them long to find us if they want to."

A kunai flicked out and embedded itself in the tree behind Shikamaru.

"I'll beat that little brat next time." Tenten grumbled. "Why the hell are those two even in these? I thought Root Trainees were supposed to be in the advanced program."

"It's troublesome that they're here, regardless of why. My only coherent theory is they weren't good enough. That, or they're supposed to be socializing with us academy students."

Tenten clenched her fist.

"So we're getting beaten by the _leftovers_?"

Shikamaru shrugged.

A sudden lighting strike illuminated the sky, briefly bathing the dense forest in pale-blue light.

"That's our cue. Let's get out of here."

* * *

"Anything yet?" Sasuke asked quietly.

His red eyes constantly flickered over the trees around them. The drain wasn't much, but he knew any longer than an hour would overcome him, even without using a single jutsu.

"No," was Shino's curt reply.

Sasuke's eyes didn't glow exactly; not in the way one sees a vague shimmering haze around them. They simply were vibrant, even in the near pitch darkness of the forest. Up above, massive canopies blocked out what little light there was from the moon and stars.

Shino, Kiba, Akamaru and he all were concealed in the shadows of a massive trunk. The Aburame had his eyes closed in concentration, hands spread outwards with a constant stream of bugs coming from beneath his thick coat.

In a massive perimeter around them, an invisible circle of bugs spread out, silent and un-noticeable in the shadows. They searched, and searched, always on the lookout for heat signatures not marked as friendly.

It didn't take them long to find some.

"North-east. There's three of them." Sasuke and he turned to look at Kiba, who had his nose in the hair. The boy took a long sniff, then shook his head. "They're too far away I can't tell who they are."

Half a mile away, Hinata and Shikamaru were running desperately through the forest, not attempting at stealth. They ran as fast as they could, while behind them, Neji Hyuuga walked with calm purpose. His raised hand was visibly cloaked in Chakra.

"Running away, cousin? I'm disappointed."

The pale-eyed teen exploded forward, shaking the leaves around him with the force of his Shunshin. Within a second, he had breached the gap between him and his targets, and his arm lashed forward like a knife.

Hinata gave out a yelp of pain as four rapid impacts struck her in the back. She fell, struggling to pull breath back into her now empty lungs. Shikamaru dived to the ground, sending out four massive claw-like shadows to encircle his attacker.

Neji casually activated a flash tag, smirking as Shikamaru was forced to avert his gaze, and the shadows that were meant to ensnare him dissolved under the light.

"Your tricks will not work on me. My eyes see your fate clearly."

He viciously gripped Hinata's head and slammed it into the ground, which vanished before the impact. Her clothes fluttered to the ground, landing just as the teen held Shikamaru up by the collar, staring into his face with bright eyes.

"Is this the most of your supposed genius, Nara?" He said with contempt.

The boy only smiled. It was then that Neji caught a few small chakra signatures nearby, that had gone unnoticed during the fight.

"Kikaichu?" he said to himself, eyes widening. "No-"

He turned to smack the insects out of the air, and it took all of Shikamaru's undertrained strength to hold his arm from completing the act. The bugs landed on the teen's neck, and immediately set to work injecting their collected toxins.

The pain was immediate. Neji fell to the ground, clutching at his neck where it now felt as though he had been lit on fire. The poison filtered through him, internally causing damage to the teen's bloodstream as it went.

"You.. you imbecile." he forced out, and hit the boy square in the stomach. Shikamaru went flying backwards, impacting a tree at an angle that thankfully didn't snap his neck. Even in the pain, the boy mused that he'd probably be allowed to lay down for a while with such damage to his ribs.

"How did you know we would attack him?" a voice asked nearby, over the pained screams of Neji. Shikamaru couldn't see through the blurriness of his eyes, but he vaguely recognized the voice as Shino's.

"It was the intelligent move. He was a greater threat than I was." the boy chuckled, then winced as the action brought increased pain. "I was hoping I'd survive, but it doesn't look like it worked out that way. Finish me off. There's nothing more I can do now."

Shino nodded, and quietly tapped the side of the boy's neck, in a place that would have been a killing move with enough pressure. The boy vanished, leaving a pile of clothes behind, and a handful of shuriken.

A few seconds later, the screams stopped, and Neji's white robes too fluttered to the ground. Sasuke, Kiba, and Akamaru leapt down from a tree to join their companion. "So. They went after them first." Sasuke said.

"Better for us." said Kiba. "That's at least three people we won't have to fight." Akamaru yipped in agreement. Sasuke turned his red eyes in the direction the three had come from. His two companions both looked to him in a silent question. After a pause, the boy reached into his leg pouch, and pulled out a handful of shuriken.

"We need to know what's going on. If there's too many of them, we'll retreat."

"Will that even be possible given our enemy?" Shino said.

"We've taken out the Hyuugas. While I'm sure _those_ two will have their own methods of tracking us down, let's hope that at least one of them was killed as well." With that, the four figures shot off into the night, their footsteps silent thanks to the padding of their sandals. Whatever was out there, they'd face it.

* * *

The figure of Shikamaru Nara walked out to join his team. Only Tenten and Yoroi remained, both of which turned to look at their approaching companion. Under the Henge, Sakura desperately hoped that they couldn't see through the disguise.

"Troublesome." She said, in what she hoped was an apathetic tone. Tenten rolled her eyes and looked away, arming herself with a Kunai. Yoroi however, remained suspicious. "What happened to Hinata?"

"She took a hit for me." The boy said, giving a small shrug.

Suddenly, a figure rocketed into the small clearing, slamming into the ground between the three of them with such force, a small crater was formed.

"Aha! Here you hide!" the boy yelled in triumph, and quickly rushed in for an attack on Tenten. She cursed, and leapt high into the air, pulling out a scroll as she did so. However, Lee was too quick, and a spinning kick sent her rocketing back towards the ground, where she created yet another crater.

Yoroi had summoned up two water clones, both of which ran towards the boy, their hands cloaked in ominous green chakra. Lee's round eyes narrowed in determination, and he hammered the group down with raw power.

While he was occupied with these, Yoroi thrust forward in a Shunshin, and caught the athletic teen with his right arm. Immediately, Lee felt the drain on his Chakra reserves, and smiled.

"That is a very interesting technique. I am curious where you learned it."

Yoroi's shock was evident when he was kicked back with the exact same strength as before. With the amount he'd taken, there should have been some serious decrease in speed.

Unless...

"That's not chakra enhancement?" he muttered in wonder, bringing his legs around to form a taijutsu stance. Lee grinned, and took a stance of his own.

"Indeed. Now, let me show you the extent of my power!"

Sakura watched this curiously from the upper branches of a tree. Tenten hadn't even known it was a poisoned shuriken that had ultimately removed her from the battle, and likely would assume that it was the force of Lee's kick that had done her in.

In truth, the pink-haired girl had silently thrown one at her, catching the older girl in the leg and forcing her to vanish.

She resisted the urge to pump her fist to the sky. There would be plenty of time for that alone, in her room, with nobody watching her. She ultimately decided to leave before a victor was decided, and flew off through the trees.

And so, she never saw Yoroi and Lee both vanish, or the small red bug bites on their necks.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki, as he might have been named in another life, was meditating.

He held in himself the strong assurance that no matter what happened, he would be the ultimate victor of this battle. More important was wondering what it was Lord Danzo sought for him to learn from this.

The boy did not think in words, but hand signs, as it was all he had ever learned. He of course could understand speech, but had never spoken a coherent word in his life, and as such could not model it in his mind.

Mentally, movements weaved the most complex thought they could, which admittedly wasn't much. Danzo had never much cared about his soldiers thinking, merely that they could communicate quickly in battle.

Nevertheless, the boy persisted. Danzo wanted _something_ from him.

Growing up, the boy had never had anything one might call a father figure, outside of Danzo. His surrogate mother had never shown him any care, never comforted him, never even spoken a word to the boy.

His cries had been punished, and before long, the child learned to be silent. To never say a word or ask a question. There were many who would flourish in such an environment, and such people often rose to the top levels of Root, but he was not among them.

With the creative genius he had inherited from his father stifled, the boy had nothing but hopeless attempts to fit into a role that he simply couldn't function in. The disappointment of Danzo was evident. He had wanted a Minato of his own, but broken down, and easy to control. The man had not recognized the paradox of such a thing, and the boy never learned why he was such a disappointment.

This was his last chance to prove himself. His _only_ chance. Lord Danzo had made it clear that if he could not even succeed at the base academy level, then he was not worthy to bear the great Kyuubi, and it would be passed on to another host.

The boy did not fear death, nor pain. Those he had grown up with all his life. He feared being a greater disappointment to Lord Danzo, and to the village he revered with almost religious fervor. To do so would be a fate incomparable, and to disappoint the man he considered both his master and his father, was something he would avoid at all costs.

His ears picked up on three approaching figures, and his two sharp blue eyes opened beneath his mask. Two of them were identical, and beastlike in appearance. It took the boy barely a second to recognize them as an Inuzuka pair.

The third boy was a bit different. His eyes were a bright piercing red, always fixed solely on him, even as the boy stalked around, as the other two took positions at his back.

Nami vaguely acknowledged that they were surrounding him. This was of little importance. He had been fighting tougher opponents all his life, and they had been to kill.

The three of them sprung into action, each rushing towards the sitting boy at the same instant. The boy blurred up into a stance with a small Shushin, an action so simple he barely spared a thought as he did it.

When the three were within range, he released a wind Ninjutsu, spinning in a circle as a sphere of wind blades surrounded him. It was similar in function to the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, which it had in fact been based off of, but instead of raw chakra, it was wind, honed enough to cut through fabric and skin on contact.

Luckily for his assailants, rather than slicing them to ribbons, the force of the wind sent them each flying backwards, injured in different ways. Akamaru lost his enhancement instantly, and landed in a heap with a thin red gash across his small chest.

Kiba was no better. His attack had shredded his hands, which now bled openly. The palms of each were cut down to the bones in perfect thin lines, and he screamed in pain.

Sasuke's twisting leg attack had sent him rocketing back, spinning the other direction to hit the trunk of a tree. His leg broke on the impact, and his sandal had barely spared him from losing several toes.

Nami watched them with pity, though he did not regret his actions. What was necessary was _never_ wrong. So he had been taught.

And so he had no reason not to believe.

He was, however, surprised when Sasuke Uchiha forced his way to his feet. The boy's Sharingan had given him a split-second warning, and allowed him to prevent a more crippling injury. He stood on his one leg, while his other was bent at an unhealthy angle.

Kiba lay on the ground, staring as the impossibly-thin cuts on his hands became thick with blood, pooling under where he held them. His mouth was open in a scream, but he had no more breath to release, and so only harsh gasps could be heard.

The next second, he was gone, along with Akamaru.

Nami cocked his head curiously as Sasuke hobbled towards him, one hand up armed with a Kunai. The next moment, the boy was knocked to the ground with a small push of air, thankfully not landing on his leg.

The boy got up again.

Once again, Nami pushed him down.

The boy got up again.

And _again._

Eventually, Nami considered that the best solution would be to put the boy out of the fight, and give him access to proper medical attention. In his mind, it was much more mechanical a concept, but still tinged with the aching pangs of empathy.

There were no words for compassion in his vocabulary. Nevertheless, he knew what it was he felt, and he did not like it.

It was painful.

Sasuke's clothes fluttered to the ground softly, and Nami walked away, resuming his place of meditation.

_Failure Not Option._ He thought sadly.

Two hours later, a flare erupted in the sky, signaling the end of the match.

* * *

"It truly pains me to see you like this Itachi."

Danzo turned from his stand at the window, to look down at the injured man. Once, his eyes had been a permanent red, vibrant and powerful. Now, they were black. No, not even that; they were simply a dark grey.

A respirator was attached to his face, making odd noises as the drugged air filtered in and out of his lungs. The man didn't even turn his head, but his eyes looked up at the figure he had once considered his mentor.

"The village will be worse without you." the Hokage continued, taking the seat Sasuke had not two days ago. "Once, I had considered you to be my successor. More than that; proof that the Uchiha could be loyal and devoted to this village." Itachi merely continued to peer at his teacher.

"That brother of yours. I can only hope that he will prove as effective a student as you were." Itachi's eyes softened, and his right hand made a few sparse symbols. Silence reigned for a few moments, aside from the airy sound of Itachi's breath.

"Ah. You have that much faith in him?"

Itachi tilted his head to the right, and closed his eyes. Danzo stood up, dusting off his robes as he did so.

"I will leave you to rest. You deserve that much."

In that very hospital, several floors down, a boy lay resting on a large mattress. His leg was wrapped up tightly in a cast, and a bandage covered his foot to far above his ankle. Seven others lay in their own beds, silently being attended to by physicians.

In the green light of the room, two eyes opened together. They were a deep vibrant red, almost seeming to shine like stars in the dim light. An impossibly small pupil sat in each of them, while black tomoes whirled around, sharpening vision like a lens.

Both eyes closed tightly, and squeezed. Two fists tightened hard, causing three small red droplets to hit the white sheets from each.

Flashes of memory entered the boy's mind. A building alit with black flames. Two white eyes, and arms gripping him. Shouting, and blood. Bright, vibrant blood. A woman, tall and wild, and a beast massive enough to ride.

The smile of his brother, wide and accepting. The screech of steel against steel. The smell of smoke and the stench of burning flesh.

The moon, shining in the sky through thick black clouds.

And the words,

_Sleep now, brother._

And so,

Sasuke slept.


	7. Chapter 7

Sasuke stumbled into the room, unable to keep the guilt off his face.

Itachi was there, his respirator finally removed. In front of him, on a plastic stand was a small colorful book, with bright and somewhat suggestive illustrations on the cover.

The man gave a small chuckle, and his eyes flicked up to his brother, silently letting the boy know he was aware of his presence.

Sasuke kept his head down, still too ashamed to look Itachi in the eyes. A stroke. A _stroke_, and he'd been off having a pointless fight with Kiba, and for what? If Itachi had died then..

No. He didn't even want to _think_ about that. The world couldn't be that cruel. Not even to him.

Itachi's eyes were warm, and a small smile played on his lips.

"A shame these books were discontinued. They are quite... entertaining." He chuckled again, and his eyes softened into a crinkling smile when he saw Sasuke's expression.

"Don't look so sad Sasuke. You'll end up with a face like mine." His eyes were alight at the private joke, and when the thirteen year old boy finally couldn't take it anymore, and made a choked sound, Itachi was quick to comfort.

"There, there Sasuke. I'm_ fine_. Look at me."

Sasuke did, and saw nothing but the most Itachi's comforting gaze. And like magic, in the boy's eyes, Itachi's flaws fell away, leaving only the strong and compassionate man that lay just beneath the surface.

"Your brother won't be beaten by something so petty as this. Stronger men have tried. In fact, I feel better than I have in a long ti-" Itachi's speech was cut off by a hacking cough, which shook his thin frame far too much for Sasuke's liking.

"Ahem, yes. It seems as though this bed will continue to be my home." Itachi raised his scarred arm and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. It was one of those familiar acts that reminded Sasuke of the way his brother had been before the night. Strong, tall, _powerful_. Nevertheless, the man did not look particularly bothered by his loss of attribute.

"Shisui tells me your Sharingan has awoken. Is this true?"

Sasuke nodded, not trusting his voice to work. He allowed his vision to expand, and with a swirl of his tomoe, Itachi's face sharpened into a clarity Sasuke hadn't imagined possible.

It was a very unnerving feeling, watching a faded shadow of his brother's expressions before they marked his face. It was as though he were always just a second out of sync, and constantly trying to catch up with reality.

Nevertheless, it was a sharper vision than Sasuke had ever seen, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he would never forget this moment for the rest of his life.

Itachi made a contented hum. "I remember how angry you were that it hadn't awakened at the age mine did. You would pout for days." His dull eyes looked off into a corner of the room, no doubt remembering their childhood.

"I haven't gotten to use it for anything yet." Sasuke said, irritation entering his voice. _Nothing except an absurdly powerful wind technique. I'm not sure I even have enough chakra for it._

"Have patience. I'm sure opportunities will arise. How are you getting along with your teammates?"

The question left Sasuke unsure of what to say. He honestly didn't _know_ where he was with Kiba. The rest of the group; they were tolerable, but seemed content to follow whatever the general pattern was. They weren't leaders.

"We aren't working together." Sasuke said honestly. "Everyone's too wary of one another, and nobody wants to make the first move."

"Not too surprising. Inuzukas have a tendency towards more passionate personalities, and it seems this particular one has reason to hate you."

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know-"

"Shisui tells me more than you think. I believe he thinks of you as a nephew of sorts. It's really rather amusing to see him so conflicted." Sasuke looked away, glaring and frowning a bit.

"He's... a good teacher."

"I'm sure he is. You should go see him again, now that your bloodline has awoken. I'm sure he'll have some advice for how to incorporate it into your fighting."

Sasuke nodded absentmindedly. Shisui was well known for use of the Sharingan to form his famous shunshin-based fighting style. He was a logical choice for a mentor, even if Sasuke hated the man. Did he though?

Itachi carefully turned a page of his book.

"He, Kiba I mean, said his sister was on a team with you. is that true?" Sasuke asked quietly. Itachi's eyes drifted up to some corner of the ceiling, as the man recollected.

"Yes. She was a passionate woman, but always ready to help her comrades."

"And she died that night?"

"It was an accident, and one I should have prevented. Her actions are why you are still here today."

"Kiba blames us, and I'm not sure whether he's wrong."

"It would be dishonest to say we played no part in her death, Sasuke. Nevertheless, Hana's choices were her own. I could not have stopped her."

Slience echoed through the room.

"How can I make us work together?"

"You can't." Itachi said honestly. "Cooperation is not possible without mutual effort. If he does not wish to work with you, mountains will move before he backs down."

What am I supposed to do then?" Sasuke took the chair and tugged his fingers through his hair. "Without him, we don't stand a chance."

"Kiba will make his own decisions, that much is certain. All you can do is show support, and if my intuition is correct, he will return it tenfold in time. There is no greater loyalty than that born of understanding and compassion. You are not the only one who suffers alone, Sasuke."

The words cut like ice through Sasuke's mind, and images flashed unbidden across his eyes. A boy and his dog sitting alone in the corner of a classroom, while two slitted eyes glare out through a thick coat. The pair alone on a bench, the boy eating a cheap cup of noodles while laughter and talk can be heard from where the others sit. Shouts and curses echoing through an empty academy, while misshapen and cheap shuriken spike into a wooden target.

Sasuke hopped to his feet, and flew to the door, shouting an apology behind him to his brother. Itachi hummed, and turned back to his book, chuckling softly. The boy ran, not stopping to say a word to the woman manning the reception desk, and shunshined onto a rooftop as soon as he got out the front door.

With a new purpose, the boy sped across the rooftops. He only hoped that there was still a chance to turn this around.

* * *

Kiba knew someone was following him. It was hard to put into words, but somehow he was _certain_. It was a prickling feeling, like an itch he couldn't reach. A painful twinge brought the boy's awareness back to his hands, one of which was wrapped in a cast.

It was impossible to recognize any distinct scents within the throngs of people shuffling about. The village center was always a busy place, especially this early in the day. Pushing between a young couple, he made his way into a shabby market store, where a grubby middle-aged man was at the register.

Kiba barely spared the man a glance as he collected the items he'd need for this next week. Some cheap rice, several steaks for Akamaru, a carton of milk...

The assembled items eventually made their way onto the counter, while Kiba fished around in his pocket, hoping he had enough.

Brief panic filled the boy, as he found himself grasping for two more ryo that weren't there. A small grunt of relief escaped his lips as his fingers wrapped around them, finding the pair of coins in his lower pocket. The man at the counter looked amused, and chuckled cruelly when Kiba turned his back.

Feeling a mixture of hurt pride and anger at the world, Kiba growled, and stepped back out into the masses of people making their way down the earthen street. He stuffed his casted hand into his pocket, and started the walk back home, ready for this little escapade to be over.

After taking a few steps, Kiba stopped, standing still in the crowd. A moment later, he whipped around, dragging the person behind him into the alleyway. His bag hit the ground, spilling it's contents over the dirty floor, while his casted hand came back in what would normally be a fist.

"Why the hell are you following me?" Kiba demanded.

The boy pinned against the wall raised his hands defensively, evidently not prepared for this situation. His coat was thick, and a pair of round black glasses obscured a pair of sharp narrow eyes.

"It was not my intention to intrude on your privacy," Shino began, in a shaky monotone.

"Don't you people have anything better to do than mess with my life?" Kiba said, tightening his grip on the boy's neck. Shino moved to open his mouth, but a fierce push prevented him from speaking.

"Is it pity? Is that it?" Kiba roared, spit flying from his mouth. He seemed on the verge of collapse or tears, and Shino went as still as a surprised animal.

"I don't want your damn sympathy, so leave me the hell alone, _Aburame_." With that, Kiba pushed Shino into the crowd, where he found himself carried away through the fast moving crowd against his will.

Kiba slumped against the side of the building, covering his face with a hand.

He didn't even have Akamaru anymore. His loyal partner was yet again spending time at the Inuzuka clinic, recovering from a nearly-fatal chest wound suffered at the hands of the root agent. He'd spent hours sitting in the lobby room of what had once been a part of his home, his _community_, waiting to hear if his last friend in this world was going to make it.

He hadn't felt such fear since the night the Silents came to their home, one carrying a scroll bearing the Hokage's seal.

Watching his mother burst into tears was a harrowing experience for the then eleven year old boy, and the image had never left him.

Kiba took a deep exhale, and bent over to collect his fallen groceries. The milk carton had been dented, but thankfully didn't seem to have ruptured. A couple minutes later, he was was back amidst the crowd, while he made the slow trek back to his home.

Ha. Home didn't even feel like the right word anymore. Prison would fit it better.

As he moved closer towards the lower resident district, the number of people died off, until he was on his own, taking slow trudging steps into his neighborhood. The street was gravelled, and the wood of the houses was rotted and stained from the burdens of time.

Kiba felt the weight of the world bearing down on him as he walked. His mind kept running circles around the same ideas. Revenge against the blond root, questions about Akamaru, anger at his clan...

He was within thirty paces of his house before he realized Sasuke was there.

The boy stood slouched against one of the support beams on the porch, arms in pockets. The boy's sharingan was active, and Kiba could feel it tracing his every movement. The eyes of a hawk. Of a predator.

Kiba considered it a feat of great self control that he didn't attack his teammate right then and there.

"We need to talk."

His house. He couldn't even get some privacy at his own _god damn house_.

"Fuck off." Kiba replied eloquently, moving to step inside the house. Sasuke's arm darted out, blocking his path.

"We lost because of you."

Kiba's mind went blank, and it took him a moment to process the words he'd just heard.

"What?"

"Every time. We've lost not because of lack of ability, but because of your attitude."

Kiba still didn't believe what he was hearing. Sasuke, no, _Nanashi_, had the guts to come and accuse him of failing the team at his own fucking _house_?

This was too much.

"But we can fix it."

Kiba's eyes shot up into Sasuke's, and the hypnotic swirl of the Sharingan mesmerized him, drawing his focus ever deeper into their inky-black centers.

"Our team needs to work together for any chance at winning. If us two work together, the rest of the team will follow, I'm sure. I need you to give me a chance. One chance, to prove this will work."

"And what makes you think I owe you anything?" Kiba asked, almost unconsciously.

"Because if you hadn't destroyed our chances of teamwork at the start, we wouldn't be having this problem."

Sasuke lowered his arm, and Kiba stared blankly at his front door.

"I've called everyone together. We're meeting at the warehouse tonight at six. I want you to be there."

Kiba stood for a long, silent moment. Then, he calmly and deliberately walked up past Sasuke, and opened his front door, resolving himself to quiet indifference at the part of the world that simply wasn't making sense.

"Are you coming?"

"Go to hell Sasuke."

Kiba slammed the door behind him, savoring the look of uncertainty on his teammate's face. The small elation quickly fell, and Kiba left his grocery bag on the nearby kitchen counter, ignoring his mother's prone form with practiced ease.

Once his door was shut, Kiba fell against his mattress, too emotionally exhausted to do anything else.

As much as he wanted to deny it, the things Sasuke had said mirrored closely to his own thoughts. Kiba knew they needed better cohesion. It was the _obvious_ problem. He just hadn't known any way to fix it.

And then Sasuke had shown up at his door, preaching the values of teamwork.

Sasuke.

Teamwork.

Kiba clutched at his head, trying to make sense of the world. Should he go? If he didn't, Sasuke's little group bonding session was destined for failure. The other teams were simply to strong to compete against without his help.

Growling, Kiba rolled over and closed his eyes, resolving to figure out that problem when he had some sleep on his side.

After a couple minutes, Kiba chuckled slightly.

"I called him Sasuke. Damn."

* * *

Gravel crunched under the thick soles of Shino's boots, echoing through the mostly-deserted outskirts of Konoha's main housing area. His posture was slumped more than usual, the only outward sign of the turmoil going on within the boy.

Shino was by no means expressive. Expression meant movement, and movement meant disrupting his inhabitants. Like a complicated machine, it was impossible for most to see signs of stress or overwork before he simply ceased to function.

It was one of his main weakness, the boy admitted. Still, there were many advantages to keeping your thoughts and emotions hidden, especially as a Shinobi.

Shino's walk carried him until soon the buildings around him were no longer hospitable, much less standing. Broken wooden frames and burnt wood littered the area. A relic of an event long since passed, when a great demon terrorized the city.

Danzo had seen little point in fixing it, and so here it stood. Home for those who had nowhere else to go.

A man sat slumped against a wall of a mostly-intact house. His hands were wrapped in makeshift gloves, and his face was clearly scarred along it's side. Pale grey hair hung down the side of the man's face, and two bloodshot eyes stared out blankly, oblivious to the world.

Shino walked past the man, not sparing a single glance.

He stopped.

There was a long pause, in which the two people did not move, and there was no sound but the howling of the wind.

Then, slowly and deliberately, Shino turned back, walked a few steps, and allowed a small jingle of coins to land on the wood next to the man.

With that, the boy turned back and continued his walk, not bothering to see the Shinobi Veteran pocket the coins and mutter a hoarse thanks.

His walk carried him for another half hour, taking the lesser-traveled paths of Konoha, before finally coming to a stop at a park near the Shinobi Academy. Children ran and played, while the parents looked on with amused indulgence, and chatted about nothing in particular.

Shino took a step off the road, which had become quite busy, and took a seat on one of the empty wooden benches, content to think and watch the children play.

It was a couple minutes later that a ball bounced into the busy street, and a young girl ran after it, her arm extended in a futile reach.

Shino was on her in a second, sweeping her into his arms just in time to avoid a cart thundering down the path, it's owner clearly not native to Konoha.

They rolled and landed in a heap on the other side of the road, his arms wrapped around her protectively. Her eyes were wide, and a toothy mouth hung open in shock at what had just happened.

"I'm so sorry mista." She said nervously, standing up and brushing off her dress. Shino sent her a warm smile, which while invisible, made his eyes crinkle ever so slightly around the edges. She understood.

Then, she looked down at her arm, and screamed.

A black stream of bugs were climbing over it, hundreds of tiny legs brushing her skin as they swept over her, investigating the new object that had entered their domain.

She flung her arms in the air and ran back across the road, which was thankfully not as congested as before, into the arms of several mothers ready to coddle the girl.

Shino pulled back his arm from where it was outstretched after her, and seeing the looks of distrust and hostility on the mothers' faces, got up embarrassed and continued on his way.

* * *

When he finally found himself walking towards the wooden warehouse Sasuke had said to be at, Shino was in an understandably less-than-favorable mood. Lamenting was not how the boy would have put his emotional state, but most would.

He certainly hoped Kiba was at least somewhat calmed down from their last encounter. The Aburame happened to like his limbs the way they were.

His boots gave a thunk as they touched the rotted and hollow wooden planks, while dust visibly trailed up through the air in swirls, as he observed the other occupants of the room.

Sasuke was there, at a new table, his hands spread across it's surface as he studied an open scroll. Kabuto and Sakura both sat in chairs near the left side, closer to one another then mere friendship usually accounted for.

Kiba was staring at his casted hand, not sparing Shino a glance from his position against the wall.

When the floor creaked, Sasuke's eyes flew up, swirling into the Sharingan for a moment, before settling down into their natural black.

"It's good you came, Shino."

"Is it?" The boy asked, mostly to himself. Sasuke looked surprised, but it was quickly replaced by a raised eyebrow.

"Of course. You're a valued combatant."

There was no compassion or empathy in the words. Only the slight disapproval one has when reprimanding a _particularly_ stupid action.

Shino got the point and sat down, folding his hands over his lap.

"Nobody stands alone." Sasuke said, his voice resonating around the room. All eyes turned to look at him, with various degrees of interest.

"We're a team. We handle conflicts as a _group_. If we want to have any chance at winning this year, we can't afford to let the enemy dictate our interactions. Faced with organized opposition, we will lose. We will _always_ lose."

He glanced around, meeting everyone's gaze individually. Sakura and Kabuto both looked calmly resolved, while Kiba merely looked unreadable, and Shino _was_ unreadable.

"By the end of this month we're supposed to be able to function as a complete military squad, capable of fighting enemy Shinobi. Shinobi that will use any means necessary for victory. We have enough problems as it is without creating our own. None of us are ready for that."

Shino was surprised by the commanding tone Sasuke was using. His knowledge of the boy from the academy was... limited, but what he remembered was a quiet boy, never interacting with his peers unless it was absolutely necessary.

They were similar in that regard. He suspected Kiba was as well. For various reasons, they had all learned how to stand alone.

Now it was time to learn how to stand together.

"We weren't called for a battle today, which means Shikamaru was off fighting the others. That means, we're in _last_." Sasuke said.

"I wouldn't put it past them to kick us off outright, if we don't get our act together. We need a victory. Squad 11 is out of the question right now, leaving Shikamaru."

"Knowing the bastard, he'll stack the odds however possible. Probably too much effort to actually fight us." Kiba said. His sharp, animalistic voice cut through the air immediately, and all eyes turned to look at him.

When his teammates did not look away from him immediately, he scowled. "What? You wanted me here. I'm participating, so don't you idiots screw it up."

Shino gave a polite cough, and Sasuke continued.

"Both teams have been getting various bonuses for their victories. How were these in the last rounds Kabuto?"

"They started off as simple things, but by the end we were fighting for rights to eat. Get medical treatment. Sleep. They thought of everything they could put in our way. Every obstacle we might have to overcome on the field."

There was no joking in the teen's expression. Only seriousness. "Things aren't so bad now, but they'll get worse. _Much_ worse."

"Assuming we aren't out of the running already." Kiba said.

"We need to use everything we have." Sasuke said, and looked pointedly at Shino. "What do you need in order to be an effective presence on the battlefield?"

"Protection, mostly." Shino muttered, his kikaichu buzzing a bit as he adjusted his posture. "Directing my swarm requires focus, and having to dodge various sharp implements gets in the way of that."

"And your drain, how fast is it? How noticeable?"

"It is a very distinct feeling. It won't take long for people to notice it. As for speed, that depends entirely on the amount of my forces I can direct to the task. With my full swarm, a person can be drained in ten seconds."

Shino leaned back, making the chair squeak.

"This would be the ideal. As it is, thirty seconds would be more reasonable, assuming I can focus on the task with only a few interruptions. I'd be mostly defenseless though."

"Don't worry about that. Kiba, is Akamaru going to be able to-"

"No." Kiba hissed.

"Kabuto, Sakura. I don't know much about your abilities. How exactly will you be able to contribute?"

Kabuto raised an eyebrow, and tilted his head past Sasuke. Before he could turn to see, the boy felt the cold prickle of something against his neck.

He tensed immediately, his eyes turning into a dark blood red, his entire body becoming taut as a rope. Sakura lowered the kunai, and took a respectable step back, scratching the back of her neck sheepishly.

Sasuke turned completely to face her, staring intently.

"How long?"

"Since I sat down." She admitted. "I didn't want to be disrespectful, but Kabuto said caution is important, even in neutral terri-"

"No, it's fine. Just... don't do that again."

She nodded, and walked back over to her chair, letting the clone shimmer out of existence.

"And you, Kabuto?"

"I specialize in medical jutsu, obviously. My role on my older team was to keep us team alive and able to fight for as long as possible." He said, regaining some of his casual demeanor.

"I'm not a taijutsu specialist unfortunately. It's never been my forte. I can use knifes with some proficiency, but mostly I rely on various poisons to do my work. If I was able to cut you, I'd win I think, but otherwise..."

Sasuke nodded, his mind already putting together the bare bones of a plan.

_So it's me, Kiba and Shino as our main fighting force, with Kabuto and Sakura filling support roles on the field._

_Well then, that simplifies things._

Sasuke crossed his arms, eyes narrowing.

"Shino, Kiba. We'll need to help each other this next battle if we want a chance at winning. Kiba's weakness is range,"

The boy rolled his eyes at this.

"And yours is vulnerability during combat. Together we represent a much more balanced force. It's probably why the teams were set up this way."

"And I suppose you're perfect then, Sasuke?" Kiba said. "Why don't you tell us what your weakness is, since we're apparently all pals now."

Sasuke's fist clenched.

"My taijutsu is my strongest ability right now, and I haven't specialized in it. The academy form has been working so far, but it lacks complexity, and without access to my clan, I haven't had the opportunity to learn any Sharingan-based ones."

Kiba looked a bit mollified by this, and relaxed his posture.

"What's more, I don't know many ninjutsu. My fireball technique is powerful, but I need more. The Sharingan can give me that."

"I'd offer to show you my Medical Ninjutsu, but they vary from person to person." Kabuto pointed out. "It's not a one size fits all kind of practice. It's much more subjective, relying on the user to understand the mechanics and tweak them to suit their needs. I don't doubt you could get it to work, but..."

Sasuke nodded. So that wasn't in the cards.

The sun was barely visible over the treetops now, and it was becoming difficult to make each other out in the dimming light.

"It doesn't look like we'll have time to practice," Sasuke said, glancing at the sunset, "And we'll probably have a battle tomorrow, so we all need our sleep."

The group collectively got up and followed Sasuke, as he walked over to the entrance of the warehouse. He turned back once, his black eyes sharp against the white of them.

"Remember. We're together in this, whether we like it or not."

With that, he vanished in a sudden stamp of black lines.

_That's right. Nobody stands alone. Not even me._

* * *

This wasn't Konoha.

Tall, jutting peaks of dark grey rock, moss covering nearly every surface. Boulders each the size of houses laying together haphazardly, creating caves and odd twisted structures everywhere you looked.

There wasn't a tree in sight. That was the first indication. The second was that nothing in Konoha was this tall and visible. The peaks made it nearly impossible to see past a mile, leaving Sasuke wondering exactly how far away they _were _from the village.

He glanced down at the scroll, still clutched in his hand. Clearly it was to blame, but how?

There was a sound like a rush of wind, followed by a grunt. Sasuke glanced to his left to see Kiba appear, the boy's eyes looking around wildly taking in the change of scenery.

"The hell?" he said, spinning around in awe of his surroundings. Sasuke watched this with a sort of quiet contempt, easily ignoring that he had done the same when he had arrived.

Shino came next. There was no indication of surprise, aside from a slight stiffening when he had landed. He immediately walked over to join his companions.

Kabuto and Sakura arrived together, strangely enough, followed by the all-too-familiar Chunin proctoring the matches. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes, and he immediately yawned when he touched down on the ground, pocketing a scroll.

It was hard to say exactly when the Silent arrived, because of the way Sasuke's eyes seemed to slide over the person, barely paying it any attention. It was only through conscious effort that he was able to look directly at the figure, which tilted it's masked face a fraction in his direction.

"Alright, looks like you're all here." The Chunin glanced at his clipboard, and made a beckoning motion to the Silent, not even looking as the figure appeared at his side.

"Here's the rundown. Squad Eight is already set up over past those ridges there," The man said, pointing vaguely to the east.

"You guys are going to start on a white platform over there, and the match will begin when the marker goes off, yatta yatta yatta, you get the drift. Now, if you would..."

As one, Squad Seven found themselves transported to their starting location, the world briefly lighting in a mess of swirls and lines before they touched solid ground again. Sasuke's head spun as it tried to right itself, his eyes focusing on the ground in an attempt to steady his view.

Sakura's arrival was a bit more messy. She fell to the ground, clutching her stomach as she fought for control over her senses. Kabuto was quick to run his chakra-coated palms over her back, relieving the pain.

Kiba rolled his eyes at this, and Shino busied himself with quieting his swarm, bringing the loud buzz down to a more comfortable hum, after they both got to their feet.

They were barely all together before lightning struck, illuminating their vision in a sudden crackle of light, as it struck down from the masses of grey clouds half a mile in front of them.

Sasuke glanced around at his team, taking in Shino's resolute nod, Sakura's determined expression, Kabuto's confident grin, and Kiba's tight snarl.

Their eyes met for a moment, before the pair both turned to look across the mountains.

As Kiba bent down into his four-legged stance, Sasuke brought his hands together for a Shunshin, And Shino powered his legs with Chakra, he knew.

This time, things were going to be _different._

* * *

Sakura flinched at the small sound her foot made as it shifted a piece of gravel. She froze, standing perfectly still, _hoping_, praying that they hadn't heard her.

They hadn't.

Tenten and Yoroi stood next to each other, both looking vaguely annoyed. Together, they were on a flat area on top of one of the massive boulders. Moss covered the ground except for various patches, and the wind howled around them.

Sakura assumed this was her saving grace.

"Damn. It's impossible to see anything out here." Tenten complained, lowering her eyeglass. Yoroi gave a grunt, and took a short hop off the rock, calmly walking in a seemingly random direction.

"Hey, wait!" She called after him, waving her arm. "Didn't you listen to the kid? We're supposed to stick together!"

"You're taking orders from that shrimp?" Yoroi asked, the contempt radiating in his voice. While his face was invisible behind the black glasses and face-concealing cloth, it was not hard to visualize his mocking grin.

"Ha. I'm tired of listening to his prattling. Besides, it's not like any of these kids are gonna be a challenge for me."

He turned, and vanished in a shunshin, just as Tenten reached our her hand in futility. She cursed loudly, and sat down, crossing her arms.

While she muttered under her breath about, "Stupid, no good idiot_ boys_", Sakura crept up slowly behind her, drawing a kunai as she did so.

It took enormous self control to keep her breathing steady; to not gulp or make a sound as she approached the enemy Kunoichi. She readied herself, preparing to swing, and dropped the jutsu that had consealed her presence.

Tenten wasn't sure what the slight, almost unnoticable rustling sound behind her was, but she hadn't come this far by sitting around and thinking about such things. She whirled around, and froze in shock as the kunai burrowed deep into her chest.

Sakura leapt back, arming both her hands with shuriken, while Tenten coughed miserably, looking down at the fast-growing stain of red soaking through her white clothes.

"C-Coward..." She managed to say, before falling to the ground, the stained clothes fluttering as their inhabitant suddenly disappeared.

Sakura let out a sigh of relief, and fell down, taking a sitting position. She had attacked someone. _Stabbed_ someone. Practice with Kabuto was one thing, but to actually have hurt someone like that...

She felt queasy. This was nothing like what she had imagined from how the Academy was described. She'd been so _excited_ when she'd first joined, the encouraging flyers and Danzo's sweeping speeches echoing in her mind.

There was nothing exciting about this. They were learning how to kill each other, by whatever means necessary.

Her shaking back under control, she made to get to her feet when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She gasped, unable to react before the blow struck her in the back, knocking all air out of her lungs.

Sakura was barely sucking in breath before a kick caught her in the stomach, throwing her several feet into the air before she landed on her back with a painful thud.

She laid there, gasping for breath, unable to see through her sudden tears. A dark blur knelt down in front of her, putting a large, green-cloaked hand on her neck.

Yoroi bent down close, his hot breath blowing through the cloth into her ear, grinning widely underneath it.

"Now then. _This_ is the part where you tell me what your friends are doing."

* * *

Kiba felt the rush of wind over his skin in full detail, just as he felt the rock beneath his feet, and could smell the cascade of scents in the air.

_This_ was what it meant to be alive. He could feel parts of his mind activated that had simply lain dormant before, not possessing purpose in day-to-day life. Now, he was _awake_, and the whole world lay in front of him like an open book, ready for him to soak it all in.

His superior eyesight easily let him focus on the horizon, the passing ground beneath his feet, and his companions on either side. Sasuke ran along side, albeit much slower, bursting forward in short powerful strides to keep pace with his teammates. Shino clearly was having difficulty keeping up with them, but had so far managed to not fall too far behind.

Kiba slowed his pace, letting the panting boy make up ground. Seeing Kiba do so, Sasuke slowed as well, until they were all running at an even pace with one-another.

"This battle is going to be difficult," Sasuke shouted, over the howl of the wind as they ran.

"Shikamaru will be using the Byakugan to keep an eye on everything around him. As long as they're together, we can't take him by surprise."

"What are we supposed to do then?" Kiba yelled back over the screeching wind.

Even from the side, the Inuzuka's eyes picked up on his companions confident grin. "The Byakugan runs on chakra. He can't maintain it indefinitely. When the girl runs out, they'll be just as blind as we are. When that happens, it'll still be a tough fight, but at least it'll be an even one."

Kiba found himself with a sort of grudging respect for his teammate's logic. He hadn't considered that aspect of the Hyuuga bloodline, but now pointed out so clearly, it was hard to not see the obvious solution.

"So we wait until they run out?"

"Shikamaru's too paranoid. He'll make sure she can still use it somewhat, but he'll be forced to either start traveling, or have her shorten her range. Either way, it prevents him from setting up traps."

Kiba nodded, not that either of his companions could tell through his wolf-like leaps. It was strange being so comfortable around Sasuke and Shino. He'd gotten so used to their smells he could barely notice them without thinking about it.

He missed Akamaru. His faithful companion was expected to be back in combat shape tomorrow or the day after that, but still.

Kiba growled under his breath. That blond bastard was going to _pay_ for what he did. For now, the only path to that end was one with Sasuke at his side.

A fair trade, in the boy's eyes.

* * *

Shikamaru cursed, clutching his face with a hand. Chouji's hand froze mid-grabbing a chip, and he paused to look over at his childhood friend.

"Is the headache back?"

Shikamaru nodded, but groaned. "That's not all. They should have come in range by now. It's been nearly an hour, unless..." The Nara's sharp eyes closed in frustration.

"This won't be as easy as I thought."

"What should me and Hinata do?" Chouji asked, sparing a glance at where the young girl was dutifully watching the area around them.

"Until we get information from Yoroi and Tenten, we can't make any moves. I'm not sure our group would win, given the state we're in, if we fought them head-on."

He grimaced.

"Go prepare the kawarmi targets." With that, the boy leaned back further against the mossy rock, closing his eyes.

"Troublesome."

* * *

Shino dodged just in time to avoid a handful of shuriken, and sent out another spray of Kikaichu towards where he hoped Shikamaru was.

At his left, Sasuke was battling with Hinata, the pair of them weaving around each other in a battle of dojutsu. The former Uchiha always seemed just out of reach of the girl's paralyzing attacks, and she was clearly losing ground.

Shino's eyes flicked back over to Shikamaru, who was managing to avoid the cloud of bugs marking his death. The Aburame closed his eyes in concentration, bringing both his hands up to direct them to their target.

A horrible, grinding sound shocked the boy out of his focus, and he turned to see Chouji barreling towards him, sending small stones and moss flying in every direction. With all the force of a battering ram, the boy rolled towards his target, perfectly on course.

Shino vaguely hoped that it would not be too painful before they pulled him out, and felt a pang of guilt that he had not been able to contribute more. When it had been a few seconds, and he still had yet to be ground into paste, he opened an eye hesitantly.

Kiba stood before him, a clawed hand outstretched and holding back the massive form. The ground shook as the grinding torrent that was Chouji failed to gain any momentum on the boy.

Shino could only stare in amazement as his teammate roared, and broadened his stance, as he was slowly pushed back by the overwhelming force before him.

"GET SHIKAMARU!" The Inuzuka yelled with all the force he could muster, and Shino nearly fell over himself in his rush to turn back towards where his swarm hovered in the air.

Shikamaru had used a series of substitutions to avoid the deadly cloud, leaving a trail of previously-hidden logs behind as he avoided the Kikaichu in a deadly dance. The boy's sharp eyes glanced over, and seeing Kiba's situation, sent two pincer-like shadows to intercept the Inuzuka.

A sudden flashbang sent Shino spinning away dizzily, and not for the first time, he was glad that his glasses were designed to block most light from such things. Not even opening his eyes, he swept his hands in a series of complex movements, sending the Kikaichu buzzing angrily after the young Nara.

Within the course of a few seconds, nothing was left of the boy except for some tattered clothes and a large chest cast.

Shino felt a hand on his back, and suddenly, his faded and blurry vision sharpened back into it's regular clarity. The constant pressures and strains at his joints slowly began to lessen, and the sudden relief sent his mind into disarray.

When he turned back, a very exhausted-looking Kabuto stood there, panting and with the appearance of being ready to keel over. The teen gave small smile and a simple thumbs up, evidently too tired to do much else.

The young Aburame nodded and turned back to the fight, where Kiba and Sasuke were alternating attacks on Chouji, who was slowly but steadily weakening, despite his reinforced body. A flick of his wrist had the Kikaichu flying back towards him like black streaks of light, and within a moment, he was_ complete_ again.

He barely spared a moment before he was sprinting towards his companions.

* * *

Sasuke watched, with no small amount of satisfaction, as Chouji's clothes fluttered to the ground. He grinned, and ran a hand through his hair. It was over. They'd _won._

His content expression fell into a slight frown. While it was true their team had never won before, he'd assumed the battle would be over when all the enemies were defeated, meaning...

The most reasonable explanation was that Sakura had failed to get one or both of them.

He was roused from his thoughts by the sound of screeching metal, and with a turn, his Sharingan spotted the unmistakable form of a massive flying Shuriken, It's circular arcing shape nearly as wide as he was.

Before he could even manage a shout, Kabuto, who had also turned at the sound, violently exploded in a shower of fabric as the blade tore through his form like tissue paper.

Sasuke let out a curse, and turned around on his heel, his Sharingan scanning around desperately, straining to find the smallest hint of their attacker.

It didn't take it long.

Yoroi walked slowly towards the group, chuckling loudly. His hands came together in a slow, mocking claps, and even under the face-concealing cloth, his satisfaction was obvious.

"Not bad. I'd say the little twerp needed a lesson in humility." He said smugly.

It took Sasuke a moment to realize who the teen was talking about, but when he did, his eyes burned even more intensely.

"You didn't help your own teammates?"

"Why bother?" he replied simply. "Besides, you're all tired out, without _Kabuto_ to come and save you."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, and took a stance, but detected movement out of the corner of his vision. Shino had raised both his hands, and the buzzing of his Kikaichu was loud enough to drown out even the wind now.

Yoroi crossed his arms.

"You got lucky once kid. It won't happen again." the teen said with certainty.

"We outnumber him three to one!" Kiba growled, glaring at his teammates each in turn. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

Not giving them time for a response, he sprinted forward on all four limbs before leaping into the air, arcing down towards the teen with his fist already cocked back for a devastating attack.

"Wait! He's trying to-" Sasuke barely managed to shout before Yoroi brought his hands out from under his armpits, revealing two lit explosive tags on each of their palms.

The explosion sent Kiba rocketing back into one of the nearby rock pillars, and when his back caught a sharp outcrop, he vanished in a puff, his clothes falling silently to the ground.

Around where the explosion had taken place, the moss had turned a deep green, while the rocks had turned a darker shade in various small splatters.

"Water Clone." Shino noted.

Sasuke grimaced, and nodded. Shino brought his hands up once again, and a black ring of tumbling insects surrounded them, forming a protective barrier of sorts. His Sharingan picked out the small forms, the small sets of wings and spindly limbs, but he focused his eyes on scanning the horizon instead.

They stood there for several seconds, on edge for another attack. When nothing came, Their stances loosened ever so slightly, but Sasuke was back to being as tight as a whipcord when he felt something. An almost unnoticeable tremor under his feet.

"Jump!" Sasuke yelled, and they both took off into the air, barely missing the next explosion that obliterated the dark stone they had been standing on.

Before they even could touch the ground, two more giant Shuriken came hurtling towards them, curving around and crisscrossing to pierce the Sasuke from two angles.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Sasuke became aware of everything. Every muscle, every tendon in his body, as well as the world blooming in color around him. He saw his own red eyes reflected for an instant, on one of the faces of the polished steel Shuriken.

Calm, focused determination stared back, and in that moment, he knew what he was going to do. Sasuke dodged the first, weaving out of it's way by twisting through the air itself.

When the second approached his arm reached out, fingers grasping the massive spinning blade by the center. Even with all his chakra reinforcement, the sheer momentum of the thing threatened to twist his wrist straight off.

With pure, complete focus, he tugged, _pulled_ the shuriken out of it's trajectory with an arc, his entire body spinning in the air as he gripped it like it was his own weapon, and released it where he wanted it to go.

Shino had been tackled to the ground, the same moment the two Shuriken had appeared. Yoroi had Shunshined over to him in a flash, and yanked him painfully to the ground.

He lay choking, his two arms desperately trying to pull off Yoroi's green-cloaked hand, as it drained the boy of his essence.

The blade carved through Yoroi, causing his false body to shower Shino in a spray of water. Then, Sasuke touched down on the ground once again, his eyes _burning_ from the limits he'd pushed them to.

With a couple of hacking coughs, Shino got to his feet.

"Thanks." he managed hoarsely.

Sasuke nodded, and brought his hands together in a seal, preparing for a Shunshin.

This had to stop. At this rate, Yoroi would be able to continue attacking from the shadows, never taking any damage himself. While he doubted the older boy had enough chakra to produce too many more water clones, they only had to get lucky _once_ to win.

The solution was obvious. They had to draw him out.

Sasuke flew upward in a blast of air, exiting the tunnel-like technique high in the air. His Sharingan scanned everything in his sight, looking, searching...

* * *

Yoroi grinned from his hiding place, seeing his prey isolate himself in the air.

"You're making this too easy kid."

* * *

Sasuke caught his opponent with his eyes just a moment before he arrived. Under the close inspection of the Sharingan, the teen was not invisible during the technique, but still blindingly fast.

Even with his bloodline, it was borderline impossible to track.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, and prepared himself. He had no idea whether his remaining chakra would be sufficient for the technique. He didn't even know what would happen if the Sharingan had copied incorrectly, or if it had missed something in the moment.

After all, he hadn't seen any hand-signs. Could he copy seal-less techniques?

Yoroi's outstretched arm, glowing a blinding green, was barely a foot away, and approaching. Sasuke pulled within himself, willing the technique to come to him.

The image of blond hair covered by a polished white mask flickered into his mind for a second.

And then, the world disappeared in swirling rush of wind.

* * *

The sound sent his Kikaichu into disarray, and had him taking an involuntary step back. It had been barely a second after his teammate had flown into the air, when a massive, spiral of wind had surrounded him, seemingly by impulse.

Had he not seen something fly backwards with all the force of a cannon, Shino wouldn't have guessed that Yoroi had been there at all. It had been so _fast_.

After the technique fell away, Sasuke seemed to hover in the air for a moment, before he slowly but surely began to fall, his limbs flaying wildly as he tumbled down. Realizing his partner might be injured, Shino called up what little was remaining of his swarm, and took a flying leap into the air.

He caught Sasuke around the stomach. It was anything but a graceful save, and Shino nearly toppled forward from the momentum when they both landed on the ground again. He stood for a moment, panting, before setting the boy down, and collapsing himself.

Sasuke was out. That much was obvious. Shino's heaving chest kept him too occupied to speak. His lungs still burned from his near asphyxiation at the hands of Yoroi.

When the crunch of sandals sounded next to his ear, he didn't even turn his head.

"A wind technique huh? Must've picked it up from the blonde one." Mizuki idly commented, mostly to himself. A pen twirled around his finger, and he rummaged around in his pocket for a couple seconds.

Then, he pressed the scroll into the Aburame's hand, charging it with a bit of chakra, and not reacting with the least bit of surprise when the boy suddenly disappeared.

He walked over to Sasuke and did the same. His work done, he groaned and reached upwards, his back cracking noisily for a second as he did so.

"Perhaps this year won't be quite so boring after all." He muttered, before he too felt the familiar tug of the summoning scroll, and vanished into the void.

* * *

Sasuke stared in disbelief at the package laying outside his door. He was clothed in simple black silk pajamas, reflecting sharply against the moonlight entering through his open window.

There was a note on top, with a simple Kanji printed on it's face. The ink was barely dry, the edges still not quite dried out.

Root. The character was unmistakable. It was the mark he saw on the chests of the mysterious warriors that were the Silents, and now it faced him again.

Curiosity quickly overtook caution, and he carried the box over to his bed, kicking his door closed with a foot.

It was heavy, and a slight clank of metal against metal could be heard when he set it down. He pulled open the top, and carefully removed it's contents, laying them out.

It was all dark grey, from the wristguards, each containing a plate of metal underneath the cloth, to the cloak, which was a material that felt far heavier than it had any right to be. Pouches and hidden metal plates were everywhere.

The undergarments were black, and accompanying them was a black, pull up mask. It was simple black cloth, meant to come up to just beneath his eyes, and it connected seamlessly with the neck of the undershirt.

Sasuke didn't hesitate a moment before he threw off his clothes, which ended up in a much more unkempt pile then they had been in the last two years. After a few minutes of frantic, but of course _dignified _scrabbling with the clothes, he finally got a look at himself in the mirror.

Sasuke froze at the image. He was the spitting image of his brother, and with the mask covering his features, he was hardly distinguishable at all, aside from the few spikes of hair that valiantly refused to be tamed, near the back of his head.

He sat down on his bed, looking down at his gloved hands. He had even had that cold look. Itachi had eyes like that, not long after joining the Silents.

Sasuke didn't want to think about those days. Itachi was _back_. His cold exterior was gone, leaving the brother he had grown up with.

Yet, with all his will, he couldn't fully silence the fear that one day, he would switch again. That the cold face and emotionless eyes would replace his brother's kind expression.

Would _he_ become like that, following in his brother's footsteps?

A sudden rap at his window startled him, and he whirled around to see the crouching figure of Shisui, on the rooftop outside. Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but the Uchiha Captain raised a single finger, before beckoning the boy forward with a quick curl of his hand.

He stood up and turned, sprinting across the rooftops.

Not sure what else to do, Sasuke took off after him.

The moonlight covered their travels. Sasuke had to keep at his very fastest, and even then Shisui's dark figure seemed to grow further away. The white and red fan of the Uchiha fluttered brilliantly on the man's cape, and Sasuke focused on that, allowing the rest of the world to melt into obscurity.

He didn't know how long they ran, but he'd have guessed at least half an hour. More than once Sasuke had found himself lost, running hoplessly in circles before that fan would appear once again.

Now, he was exhausted. Shisui had disappeared from sight, and the urge to simply fall down and let his legs cease their endless burn was overpowering.

But the red caught his eye, and looking down, Sasuke saw the Captain sitting calmly in the center of a training field: a green grassy plain surrounded by trees.

Sasuke came to a stop several yards in front of the man, and within the span of a few seconds, doubled over. His heart seemed to be trying to burst out through his head. Nothing was audible through the thunder of it's rapid beats.

The urge to move overpowered him, and he worked his legs desperately, ignoring the burn. Anything, _anything_ was better than this.

It was a full minute before his body was back under control. He struggled to his feet, and glanced one again at Shisui.

The man hadn't moved an inch.

Sasuke took a step forward, and suddenly, the Captain was on his feet, arms poised in a stance. He slowly and deliberately brought a single finger up to his head, tapping just next to his eye once.

On a hunch, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, and easily let his body meld into a shape mirroring Shisui's.

And like that, they began to _dance_.

The man started slowly, with seemingly unimportant movements. He brought his arm up, and Sasuke's followed. He twisted to the right, and once again it was copied.

Then, Sasuke felt his own chakra well up, and knew what was coming.

Sasuke found himself carried through Kata after Kata, blurring between them with the incredible combination of the Shunshin and the Sharingan. Movement after movement engraved itself into his mind, and slowly pieces of training began to accumulate in his head.

The Captain did not run through complicated techniques or moves. He simply showed how to transfer between them, with a blinding speed that made him impossible to track. Sasuke's own body stretched and tugged, exhausting the _smallest_ muscles in his back and legs, Chakra enhancement be damned.

He brought his arm forward in a punch, using the smallest burst of chakra to power the muscle, just like the Shunshin worked. A kick. A block. A combination of attacks. Each one engrained not as a single unbreakable pattern, but as individual movements. Even through the exertion, Sasuke knew that he was being given a repetoire of knowledge to draw from, free to combine without needing to do things in a particular order.

Sasuke diligently followed the man's movements for ten minutes, before finally it was too much. His Sharingan faded, the chakra needed to power in no longer available. The last chakra enhancement drained from his body, leaving only the pain and ache behind.

Shisui merely watched, and gave the boy a curt nod before vanishing in a swirl of leaves.

Several minutes later, Sasuke Nanashi began the slow, painful trek to his apartment, barely able to focus on the ground in front of him.

Conflicting thoughts about his teacher echoed in his mind the whole walk back, and it kept with him well past the rising of the sun the next morning.


	8. Chapter 8

All across the sand field, the regular clinking of metal hitting metal could be heard. A constant background sound to the fight that was taking place.

Kiba weaved out of the way as a massive shuriken flew past. Seizing the opportunity, Akamaru thrust forward, and raked a claw across Yoroi's exposed chest.

The figure exploded into a shower of water. Kiba cursed, and dived out of the way, just in time to avoid a kick that sent sand flying in all directions. Another perfectly-smooth crater in the endless dunes.

Akamaru whipped to his side, and the frenzy began again, but Yoroi was fast, _too_ fast, and the blows weren't landing.

Kiba ignored the lack of progress, and focused on maintaining the fight. He _had _to keep him occupied. Sasuke had his hands full as it was, and Sakura had only managed to wound Hinata.

Several yards away, Sasuke flashed forward, his body blurring in a way that was oddly reminiscent of the Silents. This was only accentuated by his dark cloak and armor, which was the only thing keeping him alive with all the combatants in front of him.

Weapons weaved around him, more than a few clanging off his metal plates, even as he swept around with such speed that sand flew a foot in the air in his wake. Staring him down were Tenten, Chouji, and Shikamaru, all in battle formation.

Chouji, naturally, had managed to absorb most of the hits, despite his limited mobility.

_Typical._

Shino circled around the two fights, always on the move and with a cloud of bugs hovering at hand, ready to be sent out as necessary. Neither of his teammates were making any ground, and it was clear that _he _had to be the deciding force, but who to assist first?

Kabuto was nearby, keeping his eyes peeled for Hinata, who had failed to appear after her injury. The fights were too chaotic for him to enter. They had grown more used to each other's fighting styles, but certainly not enough to fight like_ that_ without getting in each others' way.

Kiba suddenly went flying back, or at least, Shino assumed it was Kiba, when a kick caught him straight in his exposed ribcage. The chest guard had done it's job, but if nothing else the boy's _trajectory_ implied it wasn't a soft blow.

In a flash, Kabuto was there, his green-coated hand touching the area where the blow had landed.

Seeing an opportunity, Yoroi thrust forward. His arrival in a shunshin sent sand blaring up in two massive streaks behind him, and he made to attack.

His fist met not with the vulnerable medic like he was expecting, but with Shino's cupped palm.

The masked veteran took a small leap back. Shino did the same, and with a wave of his hand, his cloud of bugs wove out into two distinct forms.

When they were finished, three Aburame stood facing Yoroi.

He attacked.

Shino tried his best to keep up with the fight, but he was no taijutsu specialist by any stretch of the imagination, and this battle was more to stall than anything else. When a clone inevitably puffed back into a cloud of Kikaichu, it was only a few seconds before the bugs reconnected and rejoined the fight.

The kikaichu could only hold so much chakra, limiting their possible clone time to just a few minutes, but they were using it effectively. Together, the three figures cycled through, so there was always a body ready to meet a blow.

Finally, after several seconds without progress, Yoroi let out an enraged shout, and fired a water technique that impacted all three of them in the chest.

The clones were destroyed beyond repair, and the original Shino was sent flying. Even as he brought his hands together to reform clones, he saw Yoroi turn to face a new foe.

Sasuke stood behind him, his red eyes flashing in contempt, and a faint smirk on his face.

"You little _bastard_." Yoroi said, and he brought his hands together in a series of hand seals.

Across from him, Sasuke did the same.

"Water Bullet Technique!" They both roared simultaneously. Two massive streams of water met in the air before them, neither torrent making any headway over the other.

At this moment, Hinata appeared, rushing towards Sasuke's vulnerable form. On course however, she paused, and whipped around to bring her arms up in a block.

A kunai was deflected with a flick of her arm, and she landed in a battle stance.

Sakura did the same.

* * *

In the background, Kiba and Shino continued to striked together against Tenten and Shikamaru, both of whom were not proving able to keep up with the pair's fury. Chouji had fallen to a surprise attack from Shino, and had collapsed and disappeared once the Kikaichu had drained all the chakra they were capable of carrying.

One of Shino's clones swept in towards the young weapons specialist, ignoring the three shuriken that clanged harmlessly off it's metal armor, while Kiba and the others all struck at Shikamaru at once.

A harsh red sun glowed in the sky.

Elsewhere, Sasuke was grinning.

He allowed his body to instinctually blur into the power of the Shunshin, matching Yoroi's blows with his own. The deadly acceleration gave his limbs all the force of miniature battering rams, and every contact with Yoroi sent the older boy's limbs flying away from the point of impact.

There was so much_ power _in his blows. It was exhilarating. Sensing the upper hand, the former Uchiha glided into position for a clean knockout, his fist cocked back for a blow. A faded blurry outline came up to block in his vision.

Sasuke countered it before it even had a chance to materialize.

Sakura was feeling battered.

Hinata and she had been fighting, but there hadn't been much contest. The Hyuuga was clearly the more effective of them at taijutsu. Her new armor had somewhat muffled the blows, but she still hadn't regained feeling of her left side, let alone her arm.

They both paused facing each other, panting in exhaustion.

"Just give up already." Sakura wheezed out.

"I cannot." said Hinata.

Then, Hinata froze suddenly, and slumped forward, disappearing before she even hit the ground. Behind her, Sasuke pulled back his fist, from where it had solidly connected with her head.

Sakura paused at his expression. She couldn't remember ever seeing Sasuke _smile_ before. The fires of a manic pleasure danced behind the tomoes of the Sharingan, and his eyes flicked up to catch hers. Their effect was almost hypnotic, and captured her attention instantly.

"Go." he said simply.

Sakura, now spurred into motion, ran to meet with the rest of the group. Tenten and Shikamaru were attempting to hold back the onslaught of her two teammates, albeit ineffectively. Kabuto's clothes and two medical knives both lay in the sand, already semi-buried from all of it flying around.

Before her, Sasuke appeared in a flash, his fist already cocked back for a strike against Tenten, but he froze in the air suddenly.

Beneath him, Shikamaru's shadow retreated into the sand, even as Sasuke armor landed with a gentle clink where it had been.

* * *

"No."

The aged Aburame was unreadable as always, but even more so now. Shino found himself frowning slightly in confusion, and tried again.

"But, father. I am struggling. My current Kikaichu are not sufficient-"

"More Kikaichu will not help you. What you lack is control. A true master of his Kikaichu can fight five opponents at a time. A trained Shinobi can fight twenty. You cannot manage even two. I will not arm you with a sword when you lack the control to handle a kunai."

"I.. I think I understand."

"You don't, but you will. If we had more time, I would leave you to discover the nature of Kikaichu control for yourself, but I understand you may not have this opportunity. So, I will leave you with some simple guidance."

The man took a few steps around his desk, running a gloved hand over the wood.

"Your current style relies on anticipation and reaction, yet you place the burden of doing so entirely on yourself. To take the next step forward, you must learn to anticipate the enemy's movements, and create safeguards with your Kikaichu to counter them without direct supervision. Splitting your swarm like this will weaken you, but doing so correctly will allow you to cover multiple tasks at the same time."

The Aburame looked at his son pointedly.

"I will heed your words carefully." Shino said.

"Good. Now, it is time for dinner. Be sure to thank your mother; she worked very hard on it."

* * *

"We need to _counter_ the Kagemane." Sasuke said. The anger simmering just beneath the surface of his blank expression was evident, and nobody was eager to push it.

The warehouse had grown a bit more homely the more the group spent their time there. Several scrolls were spread out on the table, and at some point a weapons rack had been added. This now held most of the group's scavenged tools from recent battles.

Sasuke stood beside the table. At his left, Shino had his arms crossed in deep thought.

"I can handle flash grenades better than most," Shino said suddenly, "thanks to my equipment."

"Can you get each of us a pair?" Sasuke asked. The Aburame shook his head slowly.

"No. These are imported from Kirigakure. They are capable of blocking most visual genjutsu, making them very valuable. I've only ever owned this pair."

"We'll have to find a cheaper replacement then. What's the status on getting more clan techniques?"

Shino looked away pointedly. All eyes turned to Kiba, who frowned.

"I… I haven't found anything yet." he said.

Nobody commented on this.

"Neither have I," said Sasuke. "but that shouldn't hold us back. Besides, these should prove at least somewhat useful." He looked down at two scrolls in particular, marked at the top with the familiar Kanji seen on the Silents.

"Oh yeah, those." Kiba's brow furrowed. "I can do the clone one, though it's pretty heavy on my reserves. The other one's kinda neat."

"I can already foresee several possibilities for such a technique." Shino chimed in. "I expect our young assassin does as well?"

Sakura muttered something that could possibly be interpreted as a yes, and looked down. Shino realized his Kikaichu had begun floating in the air around him, and he quickly called them back.

He coughed a bit awkwardly. Kiba stirred.

"Regardless, I don't know how they'll be judging us on these, so we should be careful." Sasuke said. "And apparently they didn't do this last year. Something's changed."

"A lot of things have changed." Kiba muttered. He slung his pack over a shoulder, and looked away.

"I've, uh.. gotta get home soon." he said.

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Go then."

* * *

Shino squinted against the sudden flash, having been expecting it. The creeping, tentacle like shadows on the ground dispersed in a circle around the glare, and Shino swept his arms to call nearby Kikaichu into the fight.

They flooded over to Shikamaru, but came up against a log. Shino lurched forward, feeling a sudden strike hit him in the back.

Even as the ground approached, he could hear a brief scream behind him.

Before the world disappeared, he was able to make out Hinata, her body already nearly half covered in small, glistening bugs.

* * *

"We'll be prepared next time." Sasuke said.

Shino let out a grumble, and adjusted the heavy wrappings now circling his torso. The skin around them was a pale, deathly white, and without his coat on, the small grain-like spots where Kikaichu filtered in and out of his body were clearly visible.

Kiba drove a fist into the wall of the warehouse, sending small splinters flying.

"Why the hell can't we get another victory? We've _beaten_ them already!"

"Clearly, Kabuto isn't sufficient for watching our backs." Sasuke said. "He's busy enough keeping us alive. Together, you and Akamaru could-"

"Could what?" Kiba demanded. "Stand around and play guard duty? Is that what you want from me?"

"No. I want us to trade off the responsibility. We're the best equipped to handle it."

Kiba hurled his arms into the air, and fell into one of the seats. Incomprehensible mutters hung in the air, before he slumped, running fingers through his shaggy black hair.

"Fine, fine. Whatever. I'll stick around Shino. Happy?"

"I'm happy." The Aburame said helpfully.

"Go to hell Shino."

* * *

The dry grassy field was alight in flames and swirls of Kikaichu. The deadly bugs swept through the curls of smoke, nearly invisible.

The sweeping clouds of ash made it nearly impossible to breath in some places.

Shikamaru stood within a large ring of fire, Hinata beside him with her Byakugan blazing like small searchlights in the near-darkness.

In a second, a flood of Kikaichu swept from behind the pair, and immediately branched into two streams, like a powerful wave crashing against a rock. One curved back to hover in the air near Shino, while the other scattered outwards, permeating the air with subtle buzzing.

Sasuke appeared in a flash, and and midair, attempted to strike Shikamaru with a kick. The Nara was roughly pulled out of the way by Hinata, the blow just barely missing the boy's head.

Shikamaru stumbled a bit, off balance, while Hinata struck upwards, facing the former Uchiha. In the dancing shadows of the fire, His eyes seem to glow even more ominously than usual. A glistening, piercing blood red facing Hinata's own noble white.

Sasuke's face twisted in anger, and they both swept into a fight.

The battle was fierce and ruthless. Like massive cats battering each other, the two young doujutsu users fought fist after fist, hammering into each other. Sasuke was pushed back for a moment, and his left arm suddenly went unresponsive, blood trickling down in a steady stream.

He roared, and struck forward with his other arm, allowing the power of the Shunshin to carry it forward.

Hinata's body whipped back at the point of impact. Her block had done little to mitigate the damage. Sasuke struck again, and again, and _again_, too caught up in the battle to keep his face neutral.

After another blow sent her staggering, Hinata looked up just in time to catch sight of the boy's face before he sent her into oblivion.

When the smoldering clothes fell to the ground, the flames began to die down. As if on cue, the blaze of them settled down into a more manageable glow. Cinders and bits of ash still flew in the air, but Sasuke paid them little attention.

He straightened himself, and experimentally flexed his right arm.

Sasuke didn't know how to react to the fact that it had worn off so fast. He knew that the Hyuuga techniques were capable of paralysis much more permanent than that.

Had she been incompetent? Had she missed?

The questions kept him occupied, even as Kiba stepped into his field of view, more than a few sharp implements sticking out of the chinks of his grey armor.

"Somebody else takes the girl next time." Kiba grumbled, not quite masking a little cry of pain as another kunai came loose from his back. The tip was a deep crimson.

"And of_ course _we lose Kabuto when it's me who's all cut up.."

He was cut off from his tirade by a whistle. It pierced through the air, and all eyes turned to see Mizuki. His grin was even more intolerable than usual.

Besides him, a slight distortion hung in the air, almost un-noticable, like something just out of his field of view. Sasuke had to focus his Sharingan on it to see the white mask in the oddity.

_Interesting._

When he was close enough, the Chunin tossed them each a small scroll, which they caught deftly.

"Congratulations! Sadly, we're all out of medals for eventual winners, but hey. Maybe you'll eventually do something impressive."

Kiba flexed his claws experimentally, and tugged out another kunai, letting it fall in the sand with a faint clink.

"Just add a little chakra and the seal will do the rest. I trust you all know how to do that?" Mizuki said.

Sasuke didn't answer, but looked down at the paper in his hand, his Sharingan blazing in an effort to see the secrets of it.

They didn't yield.

He powered it, and suddenly, the world went black.

* * *

The first thing Sasuke became aware of was that his armor was missing. The next was that he couldn't see. His mind went into a dizzy confusion for a moment, but his train of thought was almost immediately cut off.

Then, the pain started.

He felt his body thrash out of control. It was like knives raking across the insides of his lungs. His mind was _screaming_ at him to make it _stop,_ convinced of it's approaching demise.

Sasuke didn't know how long it went on, but when it stopped, he could finally feel something, aside from his new bruises. The brush of cold metal against his skin. Before he could open his eyes, a voice echoed in his mind.

"What is your first name."

It was disembodied, unrecognizable. A second passed, and then the glimmers of intelligence in his mind were once again swept away in a tide of pain.

When the voice appeared again, Sasuke knew only exhaustion.

"What is your first name."

"Sa...suke." He managed to croak out. For a few tense seconds, there was a desperate hope in his mind.

Perhaps it was over.

Then it began again.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't sure when he lost unconsciousness, but the feeling of regaining it was unmistakable. The darkness still surrounded him, twisting his mind and clouding his vision.

The questions came again. They were innocuous, seemingly irrelevant. What meal he had for breakfast. What his father's full name was. His age.

"Who was your instructor during the twenty-first hour yesterday?"

Sasuke remained silent.

The odd, inhuman voice repeated itself.

He maintained his silence, but he felt his body already tensing, becoming tight as a whipcord for the approaching pain.

It wasn't disappointed.

After the fourth time, Sasuke could barely form coherent thoughts. His mind was slurred with exhaustion, and there was a burning desire to answer the question.

_How important is it?_ he found himself wondering, in his brief respite.

It wasn't hard information to figure out, if someone actually bothered to.

_This is not important. I should tell them. I should-_

The more rational part of his mind, weak as it was, pointed out that he would only be bought a few seconds of rest at most. Maybe a minute. It was immediately drowned out by the other parts, screaming that even a _minute_ would be worth it.

The voice asked once again.

"Who was your instructor during the twenty-first hour yesterday?"

"Go to hell."

There was a brief silence, and in it, Sasuke's mind raced through anything he could to to prevent this. His body barely moved when the pain struck again, and his shivers were almost unnoticeable.

His mind snapped back into awareness when the voice returned. It was the same, blank monotone as ever. Sasuke ignored it, and brainstormed with all the energy he could manage.

"If it was real, I would be a bloody mess." he thought. While he certainly felt like one, he was _certain_ that anything as excruciating as that would not be sustainable.

Probably.

Before the pain could flood in again, he pulsed his chakra. There was no finesse to the technique; only raw energy, thrust out of him without any direction.

The pain faltered for a second. It still brushed his mind, in-between chakra pulses. Sasuke felt a manic urgency. He didn't have much in the way of reserves left, having come from the battlefield, and having endured however long this had been going on.

Now, finally with enough focus, he allowed his Sharingan to blaze full force. There was a blanket in front of his vision, dreamlike. He pushed through it, and his eyes pierced through the illusion.

His eyes widened a crack, and crust fell away. The Sharingan studied his surroundings with perfect clarity.

It was a cell. Craning his neck, he could make out large, metal bands holding his unclothed body to the wall. One on each wrist, holding them apart, and around his thighs.

Sasuke was surprised, and his pulses of chakra faltered for a moment, letting the pain sweep back in. He blasted it back desperately.

Then he thought.

His cuffs were tight, with perhaps half a centimeter of space. This had given him the opportunity to injure himself, Sasuke realized.

If feeling was anything to go by, he'd managed to heavily bruise the areas around the cuffs. He ignored the pain of moving them, and focused on perfect, absolute control.

His leg blurred forward ever so slightly, and hit the metal with a meaty thump.

Then, it flew backwards.

Then, it fired forward again. Sasuke had to bite off a yell of pain. He didn't want to see what he was doing to himself.

_Forward._

_Back._

The cuff didn't seem to have been affected at all. Sasuke slumped, and forced himself to think. Even the pain wasn't keeping him awake anymore.

There was a way out of this. There _had_ to be. His mind ran over every skill he had learned in the academy, every technique-

He paused in his thought.

If he could make this work-

Sasuke pushed his chakra out, vaguely forming half seals with his hands. He'd never attempted it like this, but the Sharingan was his ally. However it's strange abilities worked, he _needed them now._

_It weaved in the air before him, forming a shape. A sudden influx of air, and an immediate drain on his reserves. He persisted._

_Then, it was done._

Sasuke looked up, and saw his own form before him, bound in massive steel cuffs, and screaming.

He flexed a hand experimentally. His last experience with this, the Shadow Clone Technique, had been brief. He'd dismissed the clone without a thought, but _this_.

This was different.

Sasuke watched himself shake compulsively, growing steadily stiffer and more rigid, and stirred himself to work. He didn't know how long his original body would last.

Or this one for that matter.

There was a single door in the room. It was vaultlike, made of metal and with no visible handles or ways to open it.

Once again, the answer came to him. He brought his hands together in a seal, and watched curiously as his legs descended into the stone. The feeling was like being emerged in water, only much thicker, with pressure that increased the further he went in.

Sasuke fell into the ground warily. He had guessed during experimentation that if the technique failed, he'd either suffocate or be crushed to death. Thankfully, Sakura had managed to figure it out on her first try, and his bloodline had proven its usefulness once again.

Not having any better options, he plunged in, moved forward what felt like a few feet, and rose up again. His head poked out into a narrow hallway, and he gasped for breath, then clutched his mouth desperately to muffle the sound.

His eyes darted back and forth. When Sasuke was convinced he was alone, he stepped out of the ground, not looking down to see it meld back into it's original form.

The hallway was dark, and likely would've been pitch black were it not for an ornate seal engraved on the back of the door that had barred his way. He flicked on his Sharingan, wincing as his dwindling reserves shrunk even further, but they revealed nothing in the glowing runic pattern.

He grimaced, and sent a small, pitiful fireball onto it, disrupting the delicate chakra matrix.

In an instant, the pressure against his mind melted away. It sent his to his knees, and the relief that flooded his mind threatened to drive him to unconsciousness.

_No. Not yet._ He urged himself to his feet, and frowned when he saw his hand. Faint wisps of some unnamable material were slowly but surely falling away, evaporating into dust, and leaving the limb ever so slightly translucent.

He was out of time. Sasuke took a step back, and sent a blazing kick at the steel door, blasting it off its hinges. It clanged loudly against the opposite wall in the cell room, just barely missing his true body, which had slumped in either death or unconsciousness.

Sasuke saw his leg had been seriously damaged from the attack. The faint chakra web holding his form together no longer could repair itself with his reserves.

He threw himself at where he stood chained, and shook his body with all his might.

"WAKE UP!" He roared at himself. Then, with a faint whistle of wind, he dissolved, as the chakra matrix that made up Sasuke Nanashi failed, and finally collapsed.

Sasuke's eyes flew open, and he activated the Stone Travel Jutsu once again. His body fell forward through the steel cuffs, and he landed on the floor roughly. He pushed himself back on to his shaking legs, and began to shuffle out the door as fast as he could.

Then a blank mask filled his view,

_and the world fell away _**_into shadows._**

* * *

When Sasuke awoke next, it was on a hospital bed. A hand pulled back from his face, and the small click of a case brought his ears to full alertness.

A woman pursed her lips slightly in displeasure, and began putting a number of small brushes and cases away.

Sasuke traced her every movement with the power of the Sharingan.

When she was done putting away her implements, she turned away from him without a word, and walked out through an open doorway, the only source of light in the dingy room.

Sasuke went still as a board when a sudden swirl emerged from the shadows, and a white mask came into view, followed by another familiar figure. The white-haired Chunin wasn't grinning this time.

"Your injuries have been made hidden. For security reasons you are not permitted to reveal intentionally or not any information related to what happened last night. Failure to comply will result in the editing of your memories, which carries risks of serious personality impairment and permanent loss of focus. Do you understand what I have just explained to you?"

"Was it you?" Sasuke croaked, his voice hoarse. "Was this some kind of training, or was this not supposed to-"

"That is above your security clearance Nanashi. Do you understand what I've explained to you?"

Sasuke merely nodded his head, and before he had even completed the movement, the world faded away around him, and he dipped into blissful unconsciousness.

Even after he woke up, and began prowling around his small apartment, he couldn't keep the questions out of his head.

Had he been captured by an enemy? If so, which one? He wouldn't put it past his instructors to do something like this for educational purposes, but…

He glanced at the clock, and silently chided himself. He was supposed to be at the warehouse in a few minutes, and he wasn't even ready yet.

Sasuke slipped on his last wristguard, and stepped out into the hallway from his apartment, before sweeping out the conveniently-sized window at its end.

He hoped he could mask the pain he felt with every movement enough to convince his teammates.


	9. Chapter 9

_**2 Years Earlier**_

Staring into the polished surface of the mirror, Itachi Uchiha, prodigy of the Uchiha Clan, contemplated how much his appearance had changed.

Gone were the black and red of his clan, replaced at every opportunity with the light, inexpressive grey that had always reminded him of clouded skies. Where before he had always been able to see the subtle creases of his face, now there was only a white mask, clean and empty of all identity.

Had he not been the one gazing, he would not have recognized the man in the image as himself at all.

It was... disturbing.

As he turned away from the mirror, he could feel the cloth rustling underneath the thick cloak. The sliding, subtle pressures in so many places, as his hidden armor gave way for movement.

There was a knock at the door.

"May I come in?" His mother called, a little hesitantly. When it had been a few moments, still without response, she slowly pushed open the door.

Itachi sat slumped on the edge of his small bed, and his dark hair hung over his face as he stared down at the pale mask clutched in his hands.

The knuckles were white.

"Mother," he said, his voice shaking ever so slightly. She walked over and sat down next to him on the soft surface, and he gripped her hand with a sort of silent desperation.

"I feel fear. I cannot speak of it, but the mission that approaches for me is one I do not know I can accomplish. I fear my... abilities, are insufficient."

She rubbed the back of his hand softly with her thumb, and smiled.

"Don't worry, Itachi. I have faith in you, and so does your father. I'm sure you'll be able to handle it, whatever it is."

He slumped even further forward, and tightened his grip on her hand.

"Mother..."

"This is unlike you, Itachi," she said, in slight reprimand. "You know there will always be a home for you here, don't you? No matter what the Hokage sends you off to do, you are _our son_. Don't forget that."

She stood up and walked, allowing the door to glide closed softly behind her, carefully ignoring Itachi's stray hand hanging after her.

Itachi bit off the words in his mouth, ready to call her wrong. To accuse her of lying to him.

She was _wrong_. There would be no home for him here. Not after this.

Not anywhere.

* * *

"Aren't wearing your mask either, huh?" a young woman asked playfully, as she ran a firm hand through her hair. Itachi ignored her, in favor of the wooden doors before him.

"He's not done yet, you know." Hana said, leaning back against the door. "I wouldn't interrupt. He's been in a poor mood all morning. Can't say why."

"Hm," was all Itachi said in acknowledgement.

She peered over at him, her sharp eyes narrowing.

"Something's off with you. I can smell it. Missed breakfast? Problems at home?"

Itachi said nothing, and somehow, that said even more.

"She wouldn't understand, would she?" a new voice said, full of contempt. Behind the porcelain mask, it wasn't hard to imagine the pale eyes and aristocratic features donning the face.

"Hiniku, back so soon?" Hana asked.

"Once again, your informality is _astounding_. It's truly a wonder that the Lord Hokage has you on this squad at all." His voice was brittle and cold, a characteristic shared by many of the Hyuuga clan.

"Maybe I'm just that good."

"Unlikely. Still, we will have to see what our upcoming mission is. It is _most_ suspicious we haven't been sent any details yet."

The wooden doors opened with a creak, and a small nervous-looking Chunin sidled out, looking like the devil was on his heels. This was not an uncommon event.

"Come," Danzo said curtly, his tone hinting at irritation. The three marched in, Hiniku brushing past Itachi with more than a little roughness. The Uchiha ignored this.

Danzo dismissed his regular air of dominance in favor of plain irritation. His head was supported by a single hand, and his single dark eye looked murderous.

"Itachi," he said immediately. "I cannot help but notice you are not wearing your mask. It _did_ come with your armor, yes?"

"Yes," Itachi replied without tone.

The Hokage's eye narrowed.

"Explain."

"I was not aware I was under obligation to wear it," Itachi said honestly. "And, I felt it would make me more relatable to the citizens if my face were visible."

"How relatable you are is of little concern, as are the civilians. This is uncommon for you, Itachi. I trust you are prepared for the mission at hand."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

"Yes to what?"

"I am prepared."

"Are you?"

Itachi stood silently for several moments. The tension in the room was like nails run across chalkboard. Hana was looking between the Hokage and young Uchiha in something between confusion and sympathy.

Hiniku's face was invisible, but it wasn't hard to imagine a smirk.

Finally, Danzo leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead in irritation. "We will discuss this later in private, Itachi. Hana, I expect you to be wearing your mask the next time I look at you."

Itachi didn't need to look back to know it was on her face. Still, he could visualize her look of worry. The way she creased her forehead would be forever imprinted into his mind.

Such was the fate of those who wielded the Sharingan.

"Now then. The next mission for your squad will not be a publicity tool like you have grown accustomed to. At least, not in the same way. I have little need right now for the village to see any of your faces. From henceforth, you are to wear your armor at all times and follow ordinary Root Procedures. Be visible only when necessary, and avoid contact with your families until further orders."

"But-" Hana cut in, before realizing her mistake.

"Watch your tongue, girl, or have you forgotten what your_ purpose_ here is? You forsook all those things when you joined this organization, or have your previous few missions made you forget that fact?"

Danzo's gaze was like a spotlight, and Hana took an unconscious step back.

"I require _absolute_ loyalty from each of you for this mission. If you are unable to provide that, then there are exactly two ways out of this organization, and neither will benefit you or this village. Do you understand?"

"Lord Hokage."

"_What_." Danzo glared at Itachi again. "I have little patience for your moral quibbles right now Itachi. Your clan has tormented this village for too long. Even your actions do not redeem them entirely."

"Lord Hokage, Hana Inuzuka is operating with only the best intentions towards the village. It is my understanding that she will be expected home tonight; something her younger brother is looking forward to. A failure to appear may lead to suspicions which will be detrimental to the mission at hand. I am sure this fact was merely a slight oversight by some of your members."

Danzo's look promised future retribution. Such blatant insubordination guaranteed it.

"Get out," he growled. "Not you, Itachi. I have to speak with you."

Hana looked back one last time, before allowing the wooden doors to slide closed, and the various seal matrixes to resume once more.

Danzo reached back behind him, and slowly closed each of the windows individually, his aged hand running through the motions with meticulous and deadly care.

Itachi stood silently as this took place.

Finally, the Hokage turned back, and allowed himself to slump in the stiff wooden chair. His single eye no longer showed anger. Only exhaustion, and... guilt?

"Do you understand why you must carry out this mission, Itachi?" Danzo asked.

"I was informed by a messenger that it was necessary for village security-"

"No. Of course not. You were informed of nothing. There was a reason for this. I felt it would be better if I were to speak to you on this subject alone. _Entirely_ alone."

Itachi flashed his Sharingan for an instant.

"Your guards have exited," he noted.

"Indeed. I do not doubt their loyalty or silence, but this is not a subject to be talked about lightly. It's an old habit of mine, I admit, but without them there's nothing left of me."

"I respectfully disagree, Lord Hokage."

"Ah. Of course you do. Hard to forget that idealism of yours. Reminds me of a man I once knew. He was unwilling to make difficult choices, and it cost him his life in the end."

Danzo locked eyes with the young Uchiha. "I have faith that you will not suffer the same mistake, but even now I am not sure."

"Lord Hokage. Have I not proven my loyalty to this village time and again?"

"Proven? Nothing remains constant in this world Itachi, and certainly not _loyalty_. I'm sure you've seen how unreliable such promises tend to be in the face of opposition."

"Perhaps it is because those loyalties are often made contradictory," Itachi replied.

Silence hung in the air.

"I am... sorry, to force this upon you." Danzo said. The constant, undercurrent of hatred Itachi saw so often in the man, seemed to lessen its flow just a bit.

This was an old man, with old traditions and ideals.

But no. That was wrong.

This was the Fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf.

"Your father and mother in collaboration have been planning a coup d'etat to seize control of the village. It was only thanks to your ally, Shisui, that we were able to discover this information at all."

Itachi felt his thoughts run into a steel wall. Shisui had brought this information? But how, and _why_-

"I'm sure you can see why I took this information seriously," Danzo said, echoing the Uchiha's thoughts. "Further investigation has revealed that this is due to heavy discontent among the clan. Perhaps you understand what it is I speak of?"

Itachi remembered the tense air that so often hung over the Compound. It was never something he could truly quantify. The reasons were obvious to see however. The Uchiha Police Force was little more than crowd management; it was one area where the ordinary Root members had proved seriously unable to perform, along with many other situations that required creativity and reactions to unpredicted events involving people.

It had taken the village a_ long_ time to forget the deaths.

"I do. However, I was unaware it had progressed to this level." Itachi said. "To force a coup, given our current military abilities-"

"Suicide, yes. The only explanation I've been able to imagine is the introduction of Branch Hyuuga into the Advanced Root Program."

"You still have not allowed the Police Force access?" Itachi said, a tinge of accusation permeating his words.

"These things take_ time_, Itachi. The Branch Hyuuga are already easily controlled, and you know the importance of maintaining the sanctity of our highest levels. Imagine if this had been planned while they permeated our forces!"

"Perhaps, Lord Hokage, it would not have happened at all."

"You don't_ know_ that Itachi, and I'm afraid you are biased on this matter. The Uchiha have always had a natural inclination towards volatile emotions. I've seen it too many times to disagree with the conclusion."

"And what of me?"

"I don't know how you've succeeded, Itachi. It still pierces through at times, but you've learned,_ trained_ to quell your heart, without the loss of your exceptional abilities, much like myself. It is what makes you a Shinobi above all others."

Danzo's expression softened somewhat.

"Indeed, you are in many ways the reason I have not taken military action yet. Your mastery of your mind has always seemed illusionary to me, I admit, but after all these years, I cannot truly doubt it. You've given me_ faith,_ Itachi, that the Uchiha can integrate fully into Konoha's foreign military, the way they were always meant to."

The soft expression fell away, and in its place, the man who had survived two Great Wars returned.

"But, I cannot rule a village on faith alone. It will be many, many years before such a thing is even attempted, and even then, a message has to be sent. Something that will end this, and _all_ future rebellions."

Itachi felt his hand tremor ever so slightly.

"My father and mother. You plan to make an example of them."

It wasn't a question.

Danzo let out a breath, and tugged up the hem of his robe. "I _know_ you have been training your Mangekyo, to a degree where you can direct and manage Amaterasu flames."

"You… would put this burden on me." Itachi said.

There was the slightest quivering in his voice, the only hint of the sudden shake that had echoed through his chest. "You would have me demonstrate-"

"Loyalty to the _Village_, above your clan." Danzo's eye narrowed. "If a coup is ever realized and attempted, you _know_ the Uchiha will be eradicated. You've seen our capabilities. Tell me; does this rebellion have _any_ possibility of success?"

Itachi knew the answer. He knew it in every corner of his mind, and at the same time, he _hated _it.

"No."

"There is_ no other option,_ Itachi. If you do not take up this burden, the destruction of the Uchiha is an inevitability. That includes your brother as well. I cannot harbor any boy who may seek vengeance against this village or its people, regardless of relation, and you know the Sharingan is too powerful a weapon to allow into the hands of our enemies."

Itachi stood silently, his eyes staring without seeing.

"They will know," he almost whispered.

"Yes."

"There are no other Uchiha with my capabilities."

"No. There are not."

"Only I can carry this burden."

Danzo's dark eye reflected ominously in the dim light.

"There is no one else, Itachi."

He looked down, and stared for an eternal moment at the white mask still clutched in his hand.

Then, with slow, careful deliberation,

Itachi lifted it up-

-and allowed it to slide down his face.

* * *

"Sasuke," Itachi said suddenly. From next to his brother, Sasuke looked up and away from the sidewalk with questioning eyes.

"What is it?"

"I have a very selfish request," he said. The teenager's eyes were downcast, and his dark, charcoal bangs made his eyes impossible to see.

"I would not ask this of you, but I do not know if I can do what I must otherwise."

"Sure. What do you need?" Sasuke said, feeling a little nervous.

"Forgive me."

Sasuke suddenly felt an overpowering exhaustion, and slipped into unconsciousness before he even knew he was falling. Itachi swept the boy into his arms, and in an instant, became invisible to the world.

He stepped through space and landed on the steps of the Konoha Hospital. The receptionist at the desk hurried over immediately, calling for staff who came rushing out with emergency materials.

"What's happened?" she demanded, beckoning over the arriving medical Shinobi. "What's going on?"

"Keep him safe."

It was all the dark-haired teen said, before he blew away in an illusion of crows, letting the boy fall gently to the floor.

* * *

The moon hung oppressively in the sky.

Itachi stood staring at the door to his home, his white mask reflecting a few stray beams of moonlight.

Beside him were two other Silents.

He opened the door without a sound.

The rhythmic sound of a blade meeting a cutting board hit his ears. His footsteps soundless, he stepped through an open doorway, seeing his mother bent over her work, sleeves pulled up and an apron over her clothes.

Itachi made his next step deliberately audible, and she turned, first in surprise, but then in a smile.

"You're home early, Itachi," she said. The young Uchiha didn't know how to respond, and so he maintained his silence, wondering how she had recognized him.

"Your father won't be back a while yet; he's still at the office," she said, looking him up and down.

He still had not moved.

Mikoto's hands were shaking slightly, making the tip of the blade quiver in the air.

"I.. suppose you already knew that, didn't you," she said softly.

Itachi's arm raised, slow as death, to grip the hilt of the tanto blade hidden beneath his cloak. For many moments, the only sound in the room was the metallic ring as it slowly slid out of its scabbard.

He whipped it out with a flick that sent the scabbard skittering down the hallway. Mikoto flinched at the sound, but then, seeming to mentally chide herself, calmed again.

"So," she murmured, looking at her trembling hands. "This… this is the end, then?"

Itachi took a step towards her.

"It's alright Itachi," she said, smiling at him.

Then, he was before her, his blade buried deep into her chest.

"Y-Your father and I," she forced out, still smiling a sad smile, even as blood trailed out of the corner of her mouth. "We'll always..."

A hand dipped in blood came up to cradle the side of Itachi's mask, smearing red just below his left eye.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, she slumped, her hand trailing two paths of blood down its side. It fell limply against her body.

Itachi let Mikoto's body fall against his, and almost without thought, he was on his knees, her blood staining the grey of his cloak, and her small form still slumped against him with his blade through her heart.

There he knelt, silent, for many minutes.

And underneath his mask, two rivers of blood flowed from his eyes.

* * *

He left his house in flames, dark and menacing in the night. Black curls of the eternal flame licked at its walls, and inside he knew, at the body of his mother.

Itachi's chest was soaked with blood, and the edges of his cloak were a dark, hideous red, stained from where it had pooled underneath him in those cruel moments.

The two other Silents remained, maintaining a simple genjutsu hiding the building from sight. At least, until it was time for the Clan to see it.

With a simple application of chakra enhancement, Itachi was in the air, floating batlike onto the field surrounding the Uchiha Police Station. His eyes briefly caught sight of the Konoha Hospital during his flight, and his heart calmed slightly.

He touched down on the grass, all color lost in the darkness, leaving only the silver reflections of the moon on thousands of small surfaces.

Three Silents stood watching him, but one tore forward, running in desperation. Then, the figure came to a stop, seeing the blood marring Itachi's form.

"You… you didn't…" Hana's voice whispered in horror.

Itachi turned away from her, and stalked towards the building before him, one of the Silents following. Itachi stared up at it, and the white moon hanging in the sky above, full and beautiful.

The Sharingan imprinted the image forever into his memory.  
_  
Building Secured. _The other Silent communicated with a few flicks of its hand. _Target in Office. Isolation. Unaware._

Itachi dismissed the being with a small flick of his Tanto Blade, still clutched in his hand, and continued his slow march.

An eternity later, he stepped through the door.

All lights had been eliminated. The building had few windows, and the only illuminating light came from the doorway Itachi stepped through. His form cast a menacing shadow before him as he walked, his blade still gleaming as blood dripped slowly from its tip.

Slowly, he stalked forward. Each step was a perfect rhythm never broken. He passed hallway after hallway, the darkness becoming more thick with every step.

Before him was a door, yellow light faintly gleaming in its wooden outline. Itachi brought it down with a flick of his wrist, a whirlwind of fire smashing into its surface and knocking it clear from its hinges.

The door blasted forward with a rush of hot air, clattering with a smash against the floor, and finally creaking to a stop just before a wooden desk.

Behind it, cloaked in the black and red of the Uchiha, Fugaku sat, his eyes glowing with the same light as the lanterns lit on the walls.

"So," the man muttered, his red eyes spinning at the sight of the blood marring his son's form.

"This is your choice then, Itachi." Fugaku said, his eyes as unreadable as the white mask they looked upon. From behind its polished white surface, Itachi felt his Mangekyo engrave every detail of his father's face into his memory.

Itachi's form was stiff and unmoving. There he stood, his grey blood-stained cloak blowing softly in an invisible breeze. His father's face turned down, casting his eyes out of view, but his face twisted into a slight smile.

"Very well. I am prepared."

The blade was through his chest in an instant. Itachi ripped it out, the silver edge slicing cleanly through bone and flesh before finally bursting through the black cloak.

Itachi whirled around the man, moving almost like a dance, and the blade came piercing backwards, striking through the same wound. He did not look as the body slumped lifelessly off its edge.

His mask came spinning off, as his gloved hand tore it off with a snap as the band holding it in place split against the back of his head.

Salt and blood were smeared all about his eyes. Itachi could not see it, but he felt the warm stickiness just as he felt the blade in his grip.

He forced his eyes closed. The memories whirled about his head, perfect clarity endlessly reflecting before his eyes. Every _moment_, and every _detail_ as the blade had carved through his mother's form-

Itachi's teeth gritted so hard he heard a crack, and searing pain shot through his mouth.

He ignored it. It was nothing._ NOTHING _compared to the torture of seeing it, again and _again_ and _AGAIN_-

Her smile flashed across his mind again, and he convulsed.

An agonized cry broke from his lips, and his hands came up to his face, the blade falling without a thought. His hands trembled with tension as he clutched at his head, willing it to be cast from his mind. _Desperate _for the images to be erased.

He didn't know how long he sat there, the scream pouring out of his lungs, and the blood flowing freely in his mouth, but he didn't care.

There was no thought.

There was only the _agony of existence._

* * *

Itachi's eyes flashed open, and whirled into the black and red of the Mangekyo. In his mind, the images vanished, replaced by the endless details of the world brought in by the Sharingan. The grained floor, and the soft orange light were carved into his memory every moment and every instant.

The burden lifted from his mind, Itachi fell forward in exhaustion, and his Mangekyo bored into the floorboards before him, engraving it further into the corners of his mind, and the perfect images of his memory were kept at bay.

With a slight trembling, the pronged form of the Mangekyo pulled back into the three tomoes of the Sharingan. Itachi forced his way to his feet, and his tanto clattered against the floor with a metal ring as it slipped off his thigh.

They were gone, but he could feel the images pushing at the edges of his mind, waiting to flood back in the moment his eyes closed, and the instant his Sharingan faded away.

But for now, they were at bay.

Itachi cast his eyes into the Mangekyo once more, and looked back at his father. It was only for an instant, but the image was cast into his memory in perfect clarity before black flames engulfed the body, and poured across the floor like a wave of flame.

Itachi let it flow from his eye, looking across the wooden walls and seeing as the flames traced the pattern across the surface, burning eternally and casting the warm orange light into the silver-black reflections of Amaterasu.

He stepped out of the room, tracing the flames across every hallway wall, leaving no surface untouched, and as he did, blood flooded from his eye in a steady stream, weakening him and draining at his diminished strength.

And then, his sandals touched on grass, and his Mangekyo locked closed with a twist of the Sharingan.

He stood, paralyzed, staring at the silver-white reflections of the grass.

And the blood changed to salty tears.

His senses screamed at him as a body approached, but he did not move. All will had abandoned him. All his strength he had cast away.

Hana let him slump against her, and curved her arms around him even as the teenager began to shake.

"I," he said, grasping for thoughts that did not come.

For a moment, there was only the crackling sound of Amaterasu eating at the wooden building.

Then, there was a grunt.

It began to reverberate.

It grew louder, its pitch increasing and shaking in rhythmic patterns. It burst forth into a giggle, and then a laugh, until it was practically screamed at the air and it shook the very world.

Itachi looked up with his blood-red eyes, and they _whirled_ as they dug into Hiniku's figure standing hunched in the pale moonlight.

Still the laughter poured out from the Silent, like an uncontrollable faucet. The teen's body seemed unable to contain it all, and it burst until there was no more air left in his lungs.

Massive, audible gasps followed, and Hiniku tore off the mask donning his face, letting his long dark hair fall out, and his Branch Seal become fully visible.

Then, his head whipped forward with a crack, as Itachi's fist dug deep into the Hyuuga's ribcage, and sent the entire body flying through the air, spiraling and rolling across the grass.

In an instant, Itachi's hand was at the boy's neck, and it took all the control he could muster to not _tear_ out the Hyuuga's throat.

"_WHY_." Itachi ROARED at the fallen figure, his face contorted in an all-consuming rage, and his eyes as red as blood. Hiniku froze, something primal and instinctual within him recognizing his impending death. It took a few moments for the feeling to be overcome, and for his shaky smirk to reappear.

"Y-Your entire family died today, Itachi," he said with a manic grin that made his white eyes stretch open in madness.

"_You killed them all."_

Itachi gripped the figure's head, and brought their foreheads together with a crack._  
_

"_Tsukuyomi."_

* * *

_On a cross, the Hyuuga hung limply. An endless inverted expanse was the only scenery besides the figure of death before him, its red eyes glowing with the purest hatred._

"

**Where**_**.**__"_

Hiniku didn't answer at first. After five seconds, the screaming began. Then, Itachi tore every scrap of skin from his body, and sent piercing blades through every pain point he knew. They pierced through the precious Byakugan again and again, endlessly inflicting the pain Itachi felt in his heart.

He allowed not a second of rest.

_Finally, after ten minutes of begging for release, Itachi let it stop._

"**Where,**_" he repeated again._

"Inside the building," Hiniku moaned desperately. "I...Inside-"

Itachi's eyes went wide. A coldness he had not felt even as his blade had pierced through his mother's heart welled up within him, and in the fluxuation, his Sharingan went spinning out of control.

He barely paid any notice as the illusion collapsed, sweeping Hiniku's fragile mind into its abyssal destruction.

The wall shattered in a spray of splinters and wood as Itachi smashed into it. Around him, the great spirit arms of Susanoo tore at every door within reach, bursting into existence without being called. The burning spirit of Itachi's very soul cut door after door down. Ripped from their hinges, they didn't even have the chance to hit the ground before Itachi was across the hallway, tearing down the next set with desperate fervor.

The burning of his soul sheltered his body from the flames, but Itachi was already at his edge. Susanoo's great form let out a primal roar, and collapsed into wisps of smoke. Itachi ignored the eternal flames licking at his legs, even as they scarred them beyond recognition, and snaked their way up his vulnerable form.

A small body, wrapped in a hospital blanket, lay on top of his father's desk. Itachi's cloak was on in just in time to catch the deadly black flames, which immediately began to dance across its grey surface.

Itachi _ran_, even as the dark fire curled its way under his armor, running underneath the steel plates, and raced across his naked skin beneath the cloth.

From the hole he had created, Itachi tumbled to the grass in a burst of black flame, and there was a crunch as his body hit the ground.

Atop his chest, Sasuke rolled down to the grass, and Hana pulled him away before the flames could touch his skin, even as his brother burned.

A moaning gasp curled from Itachi's open mouth, as the last of the air in his scorched lungs escaped.

Hana's claws cut through the black fabric, drawing blood as they pierced the already damaged skin underneath, but his chestplate was torn off, and the dark flames revealed.

"ITACHI. _HOW DO I GET THEM- __**ITACHI!**_" She screamed at him. His Sharingan stared up at the great white orb in the sky, unseeing even in its clarity, the mind behind it already lost and unable to interpret the information.

Then, it faded, and there was only the reflection of the moon in his dark eyes.

On Itachi's skin, the crackling fires continued to curl on his body, the black and charred skin underneath giving way to muscle.

In desperation, she whipped her cloak at the flames, and their upper fringes blew off, the fire dimming as it was blown onto the grass.

Hana fanned at the flames with all the force she could muster, back and forth until they had left his body to writhe among the dark blades, dancing on their edges.

His chest rose and fell, almost unnoticably.

From behind her, Hana heard a rustling, and Hiniku's shaking hand clawed and pushed against the grass.

His mouth cracked open to speak, but no words escaped. His face was twisted in pain, and even his activated Byakugan seemed unable to focus on the ground.

He forced his way to his feet, taking a shaky stand.

"...D..Damned…._ Uchiha._. ." He forced out, his pale eyes contorting with immeasurable rage. His hands burst into blue wisps of visible Chakra.

"...This… I," he said, his face still ghastly tense.

He flashed forward, cocking his hand back to strike. The chakra around his flat palm crackled into writhing, twisting chakra as his hatred overcame all control. The raw force of his spirit burst forth, no technique calling for it.

His wide eyes curved up into an insane pleasure.

Hana's clawed hand was only just able to bat his thrust aside before it could pierce through Itachi's skull.

"You," he hissed, all signs of sanity vanishing from his eyes, replaced only by a primal, desperate _hatred._

Hiniku's eyes looked ready to burst as the Byakugan strained them to their maximum capacity. His chakra burst from his Tenketsu, cloaking him as his very soul poured out all it could muster.

There was no grace to his attacks. No strategy. No _control_. Only desperate swipes that burst skin and flesh where it met Hana's arms and chest, even as she raked desperately against the onslaught, and Hiniku's body became a patchwork of carved skin. A sideways hit sent her bicep bursting, and the bone beneath it into three pieces.

White bone jutted out from the dark fabric, as it cut through her skin. She let out a scream, and Hiniku's attacks increased tenfold, sending her chest into a deadly rhythm as hit after hit impacted her chest, and bent the metal chestplate far into her body.

Hiniku's arms continued to swipe at air for a second before he noticed his target was no longer standing.

Then, he screamed as well, a high pitched, tortured sound as the cloth shredded off his form fluttered to the ground, and blood began to well up from a hundred different cuts, all around his armor.

His brief chakra burst vanished, and the last of his life blew away in the wind. Deep within his body, a flickering flame of life sputtered as its last spark was cast out.

Hiniku died as he fell to his knees, a mind broken beyond repair, and a body without the will to live.

Hana laid on the grass, unable to move. Tears welled up in her eyes, and gently ran down the sides of her face, hitting the soil below. All feeling was lost, and thought impossible through the pain.

Her broken chest struggled, and fought for a few moments to drag air into collapsed lungs.

It was almost a minute later when her mind was truly empty, and something deep inside was lost.

Behind the four collapsed bodies, the last support for the Uchiha Station was consumed with a slow crack, and the building folded in on itself.

The genjutsu hiding the building was dropped.

And the Silents swept in like a flood.

* * *

"It seems, he was acting independently after all." Danzo said quietly. He leaned back a bit in his chair, and turned to look out the window with a dark eye.

On his hospital bed, Itachi traced the movement with his Sharingan.

"An intense jealousy seems to be the reason. Perhaps he believed he was benefitting his clan, or maybe it truly was just an emotional decision. In any case, with his mind in the state it is, there's no way to recover information from the corpse, but there is little doubt he was already mentally unstable."

For a second, there was no sound but the airy suction as Itachi drew breath from the respirator attached to his face, his red eyes reflecting in its curved plastic.

"What a disaster." Danzo muttered, his eye mouth twisting down into a grimace. "The attack has certainly had its intended effect. Shisui has stepped up in place of your father as the Clan Head, and appears to be dedicated to repairing damages between the Uchiha and this village. Still, I never imagined that this would be your undoing, Itachi."

Itachi's left hand came up, shaking as it did so. A long, translucent tube fell across his arm as he did, and the red stream flowing through it was disrupted.

Slowly, it formed a sign. Then, two more followed.

Danzo's face was unreadable.

"It will be your last time out of that bed, Itachi," he said, his tone still clouded. "Even then, it might not even be possible."

Another sign followed, and silence filled the small room.

"Yes. I suppose it doesn't matter anymore," Danzo said, his eye turning away from Itachi's prone figure.

With that, the Fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf stood from his chair, and walked quietly out of the room.

* * *

"The memories still haunt me, Shisui," Itachi said, taking another tentative step, and bringing his crutch forward.

His red eyes came to rest on a pair of tulips, bright and colorful within the rooftop garden. Around him, blossoms of all shapes and colors were visible, and to his Sharingan, they each seemed to hold endless color.

The chain-link fence rattled in the breeze.

"My Sharingan is the only thing that keeps them at bay. They flood back to me, in perfect clarity. I cannot endure them. Still, it is nothing less than I deserve."

The two teenagers stood in silence for a moment, while a summer breeze blew, and the scent of the flowers surrounded them.

"Itachi. I'm not sure how to tell you this," Shisui said, his fist clenching at his side. "I… I was there. I wanted to use _it_, to make them see reason, but you know how I've always felt about…"

Tears began to run from the Uchiha Head's remaining eye. At his ankles, flowers brushed gently against his cloak in an invisible breeze.

"I couldn't do it; not to your parents. I wasn't as strong as you, and because of that…"

His hand trembled from the tension.

"Because of _that_…"

Itachi's hand came to rest softly on the man's shaking shoulders.

"Danzo wouldn't let me _try_," Shisui bit out, his whole body shaking. "He didn't even _listen_. Even with my Sharingan, he refused to end the conflict peacefully. He… _that_-"

Shisui's hand came up to cover his remaining eye.

"I can't do this Itachi," he said, his voice cracking. "I'm_ still _not as strong as you. If only I'd…"

His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Finally, he stopped, wiping away the tears.

"I failed everyone," Shisui muttered.

"No," Itachi said, squeezing his friend's shoulder ever so softly. Together they stood, staring at the grey clouds drifting across the sky.

Itachi's Mangekyo whirled, and the world twisted before him.

"No, Shisui. _I _failed."


	10. Chapter 10

Kabuto began his way down the cold, stone steps of the basement with a smile on his face. The lighting was dim, as always, and his report was already written, ready to be transported.

He was surprised to see the serpent waiting for him.

Kabuto made to hand over his scroll, but the snake's tail raised menacingly. Kabuto's eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch.

"In person?" he whispered, frowning.

The snake dipped its head, and began to cough up an object much larger than its body. When it had fully finished, the reptile disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only a summoning scroll behind.

Kabuto hardened his resolve, and summoned his smile back again. Now was not the time for insecurities. He whipped open the scroll with a flourish, and in a rush of color and wind, he found himself in a large earthen cavern.

The stench of decay was everywhere.

A tall, slim man, oddly handsome in his smooth features and pale skin, sat waiting for him, in a simple yet ornate chair atop a rising plateau of rock. His long hair was sharply reflective, and its faint movement at the underground breeze looked almost like water, flowing in long sharp bands.

He smiled pleasantly, and folded his fingers.

"Come. I'm very interested to hear what progress you've made," Orochimaru said with a smile.

Kabuto maintained his calm air, but something deep inside prepared to run, no, _sprint_ as far away from this man as possible.

"Ahem," Kabuto said, pulling open his message, painfully aware of its lackluster contents.

"Still… Still no confirmation in regards to the Kyuubi Host, however-"

"I think I've heard enough," Orochimaru said, cutting him off. The false smile was gone. Now, there was only irritation. Underneath the dark, reptilian eyes, Kabuto could see the great well of rage just beneath the surface.

"Master, I'm making progress. If you'll just allow me a little more time-"

"Time?" the man asked silkily. "Walk to my side. Tell me what you see."

Kabuto did so immediately, with long, purposeful strides. He maintained control, because that was what his master wanted to see, but the stench grew more powerful, and when Kabuto reached the top of the ridge, a wave of the smell hit him, and his eyes narrowed.

The bodies stretched backwards into the shadows. He couldn't see where they ended, or the ground underneath the heaps of arms and legs. The only commonality among the bodies were dark, forest green vests, color almost lost in the low light.

He felt the prickling, cold feeling of fear overtaking his body.

"Perhaps you do not fully understand the sacrifices made. We die by the hundreds a _thousand miles_ from Konoha, and you're busy playing with children. What have you been doing, Kabuto?"

Kabuto flinched.

"I think she could be useful to us," the young teen said. A single bead of sweat ran down the left side of his face, to hang on the edge of his jaw.. "Her chakra control is incredible. With the right encouragement, there is little doubt-"

"Chakra control? I did not mobilize our forces to acquire above average _chakra control_. I paid for a Nine. Tailed. Demon. And thus far you have utterly failed to extract the information we need in order to capture it."

"Our other objective is moving forward smoothly though," Kabuto said, not relenting. "Sasuke Uchiha is almost entirely disconnected from the village. Once Itachi dies, there will be nothing to keep him bound to Danzo."

"A _side project_." Orochimaru hissed into his ear. "As magnificent as the Sharingan is, there are dozens of Uchiha with active bloodlines. While this one presented an interesting opportunity, that was not the objective of this mission."

Orochimaru's hand gestured at the long stretch of bodies.

"We are losing. Every second we spend in open combat our position weakens. We needed something to swing the tides weeks ago, and it will still take unbelieveable time and energy to harness the Demon's power properly. It may not even be possible."

"You faith was not misguided, Master." Kabuto knelt, and bowed his head, his pride crawling somewhere deep inside, away from prying eyes.

"I can perform. I'll deliver the Host to you, and Sasuke. Even the girl. Once she's with us, I'm sure you will come to see her value. I may not have any proof, but I am confident that we have found the container, and it is a failed one. Nowhere near the strength we would expect. The age and appearance is what we would expect. It's our best lead."

Orochimaru made a soft, shimmering sound. Kabuto recognized it as laughter, even before it rolled out into a more obvious mockery.

"My ambitious, foolish young student. You think I'm leaving this up to you still?"

Orochimaru gestured with a wave of his hand, and out from the shadows approached four figures, each wearing the same uniform. Long, full body cloth, with a massive knotted belt to hold it in check.

Kabuto's eyes widened.

"Them? Master, a direct assault is doomed to failure. I understand your impatience, but even with their capabilities we can't act with so little information-"

"I trust I do not need to tell you what will happen if this mission does not proceed _flawlessly_?" Orochimaru asked. "And weren't you just saying how promising this lead is? Surely, under their command, you can fulfill your promises?"

Kabuto gritted his teeth, and bowed his head further, the smell of death filling his nostrils.

"Of course. As you command, master."

"Good. You will make your assault tomorrow night, with the objective of locating and _capturing_ the Kyuubi host. I would suggest not returning without something of value. Dismissed."

* * *

Sasuke trudged towards the building, hands in pockets again and wearing his usual lack of expression. He stepped into the great wooden structure, still nearly as bare and run-down as it had been when he'd first stepped into it. Now, he saw it for what it really was. A mockery.

A cruel joke by their teachers, telling them how little value they actually had.

Sakura was the only one there. For once, Sasuke mused, she wasn't with their grey-haired veteran. She looked almost surprised to see him, bright green eyes twinkling, hinting at the intelligence underneath.

He felt the urge to use his Sharingan, and investigate closer. Something told him that if he willed it, he could see past those two dark pupils to something… beyond, but he stopped himself.

"Hello," she said, uncertainly.

Sasuke nodded, ignoring the fire in his back as he did so. "May I sit?" he asked, pulling a chair before she'd even answered.

"Of course! Uh… How are things going?"

Sasuke struggled to focus on the table before him. The Sharingan sang to his mind, begging to be used. He ignored it once again.

"Same as they always are."

He leaned back, and studied Sakura for a couple moments, realizing he'd never really _looked_ at his pink-haired teammate. She'd always been just a person, who occasionally said unimportant things and could use a Kunai.

Now that he was alone with her, it was almost like his mind was finally acknowledging her existence.

"Why?" he asked, curiosity digging at him. He frowned. "Why choose this? This life? Endless battle, fighting if not the enemy, ourselves. Nobody cares about us. We're faceless, or will be soon anyway."

Sakura bit her lip, and was silent for several moments.

"I'd always imagined being a Shinobi was about helping people," She admitted. "It didn't hurt that they're the most highly paid of any profession. The Hokage always talks about how important it is for Konoha to be able to defend itself. I guess I just…"

Sakura looked embarrassed.

"I just wanted to help people, and this seemed like the best way to do it."

Sasuke nodded. It sounded like Itachi's reasoning.

_And look where it got him_, a treacherous voice whispered in his mind.

"I see. I'm a…." He stopped, remembering a painful truth he had almost forgotten. "_Was_ an Uchiha, and we've always been Shinobi. Our bloodlines are extremely potent on the battlefield."

"Oh yes, the Sharingan! I've been reading all about that. It sounds like the sort of ability that would be useful in any profession." Sakura chattered. "After all, you can learn practically anything. If you knew the right people to copy, you could easily become a master carpenter or blacksmith in days!"

Her eyes were shining in excitement. "Just think of everything you could learn with a power like that. I'm very jealous."

Sasuke, for a moment, was totally at a loss for words.

"I… suppose." He said, the words trickling out. His mind tried to wrap itself around the image of an an _Uchiha_ being content with a life as a carpenter.

Albeit a very competent carpenter.

"It's a real shame about the trauma involved in unlocking it." She said, tapping her fingers in thought. "I've always wondered. How do the Uchiha deal with the fact that all their strongest Shinobi have experienced significant emotional trauma? It just sounds so awful."

Sasuke, once again, found his mind running into a brick wall.

"We… Well… It hasn't really been an issue."

Even as he said it, Sasuke realized it wasn't true. Not even close.

Father had always been, while not unkind, prone to very sour moods, and Itachi during his training had seemed to spend every day in miserable stupors.

Sasuke wondered how long it would be before _he_ was like that.

Then_, _in a surprising feat of self-awareness_,_ he remembered a complete lack of social relationships, or even a vague sense of the people around him for the past two years.  
_  
That… might be an issue_, he admitted. It was at that moment that Kiba arrived.

The boy slipped into a chair spaced away from the pair of them, letting his head rest against the table. Akamaru climbed off it, and yipped amiably, wagging his tail in a way that slapped Kiba in the head several times.

"These battles will never end." he grumbled.

"Actually, I think we're reaching the end of them," Sakura said, lost in thought. "It's almost been the month Mizuki warned us about, and they've stopped rewarding us for victories."

"You know his name?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I asked him about what his job was exactly. He wasn't very polite."

"Go figure," Kiba's muffled voice said.

"That means, in not too long, they're going to put us on the battlefield. We've been doing better against Shikamaru, but to fight actual Shinobi so soon…"

"We're not ready," Sasuke agreed. "We haven't even beat the other team yet."

"That's what worries me," Sakura said. "If we haven't beaten them, and the battles are almost over, then we _can't_ be the graduating team, can we?"

There was a tense silence as this settled in.

Sasuke's face had gone hard as stone, and his formerly dark eyes glowed a cruel, bright red. Inside, a familiar fire crackled and sparked, ignited once again.

"Sasuke, we can-" Sakura said.

"_Enough_. Enough of this chit chat. We have to plan."

_And I have to win._

* * *

Dark storm clouds rolled over wind-swept plains.

Sasuke didn't even bother to question where the scroll had sent them. The ground was rocky and barren. He couldn't see a single piece of life, plant or otherwise, across the flat expanse. It was flat rock for miles.

The sky was a golden orange, with the sun mostly to the horizon, glowing brilliantly.

His armor felt heavy, and the purple bands of bruises he had across his thighs and arms ached. His breath was hot, the dark fabric covering his mouth and nose trapping the heat. His dark-grey cloak flapped in the breeze.

Sakura appeared, then Kiba, then the much taller figure of Kabuto. Shino was last, but the buzzing sound made him distinct.

The Uchiha noted, with a humorless smile, that they were mostly indistinguishable already. In fast combat, how difficult would it be to tell them apart?

They were counting on that.

Across the almost flat landscape, he saw another group. Six shapes on the horizon. They ran towards it, feeling the cold wind brush past.

As they grew closer, it became clear that the other group looked almost identical. The same uniform, but the shapes varied. Shikamaru's narrow, calculating gaze was immediately noticeable, and Sasuke locked eyes with him.

He saw nothing. The itch to use his Sharingan came back, with fervor, but he suppressed it. He'd need every last bit of his chakra. This wasn't the time to take stupid risks.

The itch persisted.

"Now that everyone's arrived, I have exciting news," Mizuki began, rattling off in his usual cruel tones. "This time, the losing team walks, or more likely, limps off for the last time. No more practicing."

So. It was as Sakura had predicted. And they were facing Shikamaru.

Not the worst situation.

"I'm sure you've all heard rumors about fighting to the west by now, and I can assure you that I am not allowed to say it's extremely brutal, and that Danzo wants to send you over there as soon as possible."

Sasuke glared at the man, but it only made him smile wider.

"We're going to be a little more lenient about stepping in to prevent injuries. Wouldn't want you to go down without having your abilities tested, but you should be able to handle yourselves. This isn't a game, but you know that by now, right? I've rambled enough. You," Mizuki said, pointing at Sasuke. "Your group stays here. They're coming with me."

"How will we know the match has begun?" Sakura asked.

"The ground will shake."

Mizuki began running off in a direction. Shikamaru and his group, Yoroi towering above, followed.

Sasuke frowned. The older boy hadn't even bothered to look in his direction. He turned back toward his assembled teammates, and spoke.

"This is the best situation for us. We're not ready to go up against whatever those two masked ones are, but we're on an even playing field here. We've beaten Shikamaru before, and there's nowhere for him to hide this time, right?"

Kiba stepped forward, flicking back his hood so Akamaru could hop to the ground, where the small animal morphed into a fanged copy of him.

"Something wasn't right about them," he growled seriously, his voice already changing as body took on more animal characteristics. "I could smell it. I don't think it's just the costumes either. They've changed."

Sasuke frowned. He wouldn't put it past Shikamaru to pull something, especially in a match as critical as this.

"We should be careful then."

"Thanks for the tip, Genius," Kiba growled. "Let's put them in the ground. Akamaru!"

The ground shook, rattling gravel near their boots. It was like an impact had taken place, but nothing was visible for miles.

_A ninjutsu?_ Sasuke thought, as he and Team Seven sprinted toward the approaching figures of the enemy team.

The ground's rumbling didn't stop. Running was disorienting, but he pushed through, and glancing upward he could see their opponents had done the same.

Sasuke put his head down and continued forward, using Shunshin's subtle speed increase. His legs, had anyone been able to see effectively enough, would have blurred every half second, accelerating his knees forward. He soon overtook his team.

Then, something nagged at him. Something he had seen. He glanced up again. The other team was almost at them, Shikamaru in the center running forward to meet him.

Shikamaru.

Running.

Sasuke's eyes flew wide, and his Sharingan whirled into action, in time to see, captured in perfect detail, the henge fall away,

the white mask revealed,

and the monster spin into a blow that could shatter mountains.

* * *

**It will be quick.**

* * *

Kiba skidded to a halt, seeing a massive streak of shadow fly overhead. It took him a moment to realize it was Sasuke, and a second longer that it wasn't just him.

Something had grabbed on.

* * *

Kabuto slid to a stop, and began to step backwards, his dark eyes focused intently on the blurring shapes of Sasuke and code-named Nami, rushing past with the force of a cannonball.

This was it. His opportunity.

Would the monster reveal its true colors?

* * *

He never even felt the blow.

For Sasuke, the world slowed down. What felt like seconds passed, while both their cloaks whirled. The great line of the horizon rotated like the hand of a clock. Shadows danced across Its mask, like the phases of the moon in motion. Shadow overtook, and then light returned, each curving across the pale surface.

The sky rolled like a ball, but they stayed constant. Sasuke darker cloak flapped and whirled, mixing with Its own grey one.

And then the ground hit them.

Sasuke bore the weight of the world on his back, and It on his front. The monster gripped him by the collar of his cloak, and rotated like a screw, whipping his light cloak into Sasuke's face.

The world rotated again, in slow motion, but this time, the ground came straight at him, like a wall, shaking and cracked.

He met it.

Broken.

The ground retreated from him, like a mighty glacier. Then it ran at him. Even faster.

His own shadow opened up before him, like a black pool.

It enveloped his world.

* * *

**I'm sorry.**

* * *

There were only three figures left. The two desperate, and the monster.

Its mask never moved. Only its body did.

Damn it to hell.

"Kabuto! How much longer!?" Kiba roared.

He met the monster again, but it was with a futility he could feel in his bones. It was too heavy. That was what he had noticed first. Trying to knock the smaller figure down was like pushing against a mountain.

The damage was one-sided. Always. Kiba's clawed hand came down, and was deflected with the flick of an arm. The impact sent his own flying away, followed after a brief moment by sharp, piercing pain. It left him so open Sakura could have destroyed him.

The monster didn't even bother to follow up. It walked towards the crouching, beaten figure of Kabuto, and the unconscious Sasuke underneath.

"Hey! You're still fighting me!"

* * *

**You've lost.**

* * *

Kiba put himself in Its path again, and It sent him flying. The monster brought its elbow back into its cloak. Kiba crawled up from the ground again.

"That the best you can do, bastard?"

He didn't have enough chakra for a Fang Technique. He'd already used it all fighting the damn Hyuuga. The wetness underneath his bent breastplate reminded him of the other consequences.

This was the end anyway, and he'd be damned if he went down without a single step forward.

He screamed something indecipherable, and charged at the masked monster. It turned its blank face towards him, and stopped.

It raised its hand.

The ground beneath Kiba's feet cracked and split. The Earth was pushed up and crushed, flying apart from invisible geysers of air. He leapt from crumbling face to face with all the grace of a wolf, while his own cloak flapped behind him like a cape.

It lowered its hand.

Gravity came down on his back like the ocean had been dropped on him. He was pinned to the platform he stood on, while, under this new force, it cracked and crumbled, falling into a pit of its own creation.

The ground Kiba laid on sank deeper, and the world tumbled in on top of him.

"What the hell are we fighting," he muttered, closing his eyes and accepting oblivion.

The monster flashed towards the medic, and kicked him in the head. Kabuto crumpled. The monster kicked him again, and was satisfied.

He walked a few steps off, and sat down to meditate.

* * *

**Are you satisfied, Master?**

* * *

Sasuke felt cold.

He clenched his gloved fist, which he could see lying across from him. It obeyed, but it was wrong. He couldn't feel it. It was like the spaces between his muscles had been stuffed with cotton.

It felt dead.

He pulled up to his feet. It was easy, like gliding. Something was charged. Despite the numbness, he'd never felt so much…

It was impossible to put into words. It was like electricity, flowing through his body. It was all he could feel, and there was lots of it.

Kabuto was lying at his feet, eyes closed and mouth hanging slightly ajar. Blood trickled from his forehead.

His Sharingan welled up with an explosion of electricity, and the world _spun_ into focus. There were cloaked heaps all along the barren rocky expanse, and scattered weapons. Underneath the cloaks were bodies.

Why the hell hadn't they been teleported out?

Then, Sasuke saw him. Sitting, head bowed, several yards away. The monster's light grey cloak curled and floated like wisps of smoke in the breeze. Its back was to Sasuke.

The monster got to his feet. Its head angled, revealing the mask.

* * *

**Don't make me destroy you.**

* * *

Sasuke crouched, and stepped to the left, like a scavenger circling a predator. The monster didn't bother to move. His enemy would come, in time. Sasuke continued his steps until he was angled away from the bodies, and the sun was at his back. His shadow reached past It.

Its mask turned towards him, but otherwise it did not move.

Nanashi attacked.

Shunshin breached the distance between them in less than a second, but through the Sharingan, it felt like gliding. He flew through the air, and the world slid by around him. The monster's arm came up in a casual block.

Sasuke met it with his hardest kick, and there was a echoing, deep sound when they clashed. The monster's arm didn't move, but Sasuke's entire leg coiled like a spring at the impact. It folded up, until his thigh met his ankle. He kicked off, and shunshined backwards.

He hadn't even been able to move It. Not with his hardest blow.

It was impossible to win.

Sasuke realized it with a frightening coldness, that this time crept deeper into his gut. It had let him set up the perfect blow, with all the power he could summon.

And it had done _nothing_.

* * *

**Now do you see it is hopeless?**

* * *

Sasuke's world fell around him, while the highest tip of the sun met the horizon. He simply wasn't strong enough.

He had failed himself. He had failed his team.

Itachi...

"Just what the hell are you," Sasuke whispered, face twisted in shock. "That's not human. That's not _possible_."

* * *

**I am.**

* * *

"FIREBALL TECHNIQUE!"

He pushed all the wind he could out of his lungs, and it shot forward, creating its own shadow as it flew over the ground.

The monster blurred. It sailed past where he had been.

_Fast. He could destroy me in an instant._

_Why hasn't he?_

Sasuke started moving. He tried throwing Shuriken. It sidestepped them without even bothering to move its head.

_Try this on for size then._

They ignited in a massive explosion. A wave of charcoal-black smoke rushed out, hiding red explosion underneath. The ground rattled.

The monster was gone.

* * *

**Futile.**

* * *

Sasuke felt it behind him, and whirled, in time to watch its fist bury into his gut. He doubled over. It was like a steel battering ram, hitting just under his ribcage to impact the vulnerable organs beneath.

He fell to his knees, coughing and holding himself.

The masked monster stared down at him, with the slight tilt of its head.

* * *

**Surrender.**

* * *

"To hell with you," Sasuke muttered, getting to his feet, still holding his chest. "Are you enjoying this? Did you just want to watch me fail? To give me hope to snatch away?"

* * *

**I don't want to hurt you.**

* * *

"_Answer me!_"

Sasuke began attacking. The monster caught every blow. It was faster. With every impact he felt his strength weaken. All his attacks were worthless.

Time to take it up a notch.

His body slid into the forms he had memorized. The flashes of memory associated appeared in his mind. Shisui, one eyed, flowing like water in a blur.

Sasuke's fist blurred forward, accelerating beyond what space would allow.

It was caught, but the monster moved. He felt it. There was a tense moment as both of them considered this fact.

Then, the battle began in earnest.

Sasuke was weaker. He could feel it in every blow, but now at least, he could compete. He was slower too, but as fast as the monster's reactions were, he could see everything. The movement of his arms, the weight shifting to account for every meeting of their bodies.

While the sun set, they danced on the littered battlefield, fighting blow after blow, neither knowing anything but the heat of battle. Neither knew how long they fought, or noticed the sky turning a deep purple as the sun passed the horizon.

It hit him across the jaw, spinning Sasuke's head. He hit back, knocking the mask slightly ajar, and revealing a flash of paper-white skin.

A blow to Sasuke's ribcage.

A kick at the monster's knee.

A strike across Sasuke's face.

The pain had ebbed away. All the Uchiha could feel was the electricity, and it filled him up. His arms were numb, and cold. His face could have been lying on a pillow for all he could sense.

The electricity wove around his arm, and helped him push it at his enemy, knocking its arm back.

The electricity itched to be used, and Sasuke let it out, in bursts. He gripped the monster's arm by the wrist, and twisted. It remained solid as if it were concrete.

_Accelerating one part of your body without the rest of it is extremely dangerous. Many thought it impossible to use safely._

"Shunshin," Sasuke muttered with a sharp, feral smile. He turned towards the horizon, and blurred, moving faster than should have been possible, with Its arm in his grip.

The monster came along with him.

He rocketed forward, feeling a lurch and shudder go through Its entire arm, as he suddenly pulled it away from Its body with speeds beyond natural physics. It was heavy, and Sasuke's arm rippled from the exertion, but he pulled anyway.

And the monster was thrown to the ground.

Sasuke didn't give him a moment. He was at his head, fist blurring down on the mask. It shook slightly with every blow, but it wasn't enough. He began to use the electricity to carry it forward and back. To go faster.

It slammed into the white face of the mask faster and faster. With every thump, Its body jolted, disrupting its attempts to rise.

But it didn't stop trying.

"_Just die!_"

Sasuke fired harder, and harder, but feeling was creeping back. It had been held dormant for too long, and now, it was coming back, with passion, and fire. It crept from the edge of his knuckles.

He drove it away by hitting harder.

With one final blow, Sasuke drove his fist into the mask, and it cracked in two, splitting across the monster's face.

The Sharingan looked down, and saw a flash of half a face.

It was paper white, and dead looking. Dark, sunken circles surrounded an eye, piercingly blue. Pale-dry blond hair, almost white, fell across its forehead like straw, stringy and weak. Long indentations ran along its cheek, scar-like and feral.

Their eyes met, and Sasuke glimpsed something he didn't expect to see.

Regret.

* * *

**I was weak.**

**Forgive me, master.**

* * *

Sasuke got to his feet and brought his arm up for his last blow.

It didn't move.

With cold, sudden panic crawling into Sasuke's heart, he tried again. His two red eyes peered over at his right arm, looking at it for the first time. It hung limply.

A drop of blood fell from the damp fingertips of his glove.

No. It would move. He would make it move. He called up the electric energy again, calling it to move.

Another drop fell.

He gripped it with his left hand, and shook it.

Agony.

He didn't know how long the moment lasted, but it felt like eternity. He unclenched his teeth, and tasted blood. Pain spiked on his tongue.

The monster rose, and Sasuke kicked it in the head.

Its arms raised, and Sasuke brought his foot down again. And again.

"You're not human," he spat out, spraying blood. A trickle of it ran from beneath the straw, pale hair.

Its arms fell.

Sasuke took a few steps away, and suddenly met the ground. He pushed himself up with his left hand, having fallen on his right.

His arm gave out.

Sasuke laid on the ground, the few bits of rock grinding into his cheek breaking through the numbness. It was beginning to fade, replacing itself with fire.

His Sharingan whirled a final time, and grew still. Staring at nothing.

He didn't hear the roar, or feel the tremor. He didn't see the burst of red chakra, spiraling out in a shower of rock. He didn't feel the presence of something truly inhuman. He didn't see the Silents appear in an instant, and disappear along with it.

But lying on his side, eyes open just a fraction, heart-rate lowered artificially,

Kabuto did.

_I've found you, Nine Tails._

* * *

Akamaru poked his head onto the bed, wagging his tail. Kiba rubbed him on the head, and groaned.

"Someone's in a good mood."

Kiba rolled out of the bed, feeling at the bandages wrapped around his torso. Pain twinged, and he stopped.

"He got me, didn't he. Bastard."

The Inuzuka glanced around, taking in the smells of cleaner, death, and sickness. A hospital.

He hated hospitals.

Walking was a pain. He had to hobble, like some old fool, bent over and shuffling with minimal up and down movement. The few people who met his eyes were hit with an irritated gaze, and quickly looked away.

Akamaru came trotting along, bright as ever. Kiba shambled down the hospital hallway, glancing around.

"Young man! What were you thinking, getting up in your condition!" A stern looking older woman walked towards Kiba, easily outpacing his hobbles. He glared at her.

"Can it grandma. I need to find out what happened in the fight."

"Good grief. You won, if that's what's bothering you, though not without cost. Damn that Hokage, creating such unnecessary injury."

Kiba felt sudden panic, and glanced down.

"I'm not dying, am I?"

"You'll be fine. Rather fortunate you were wearing armor. Hyuuga attacks tend to leave lasting damage on anyone foolish enough to meet them."

"And the others?"

She pursed her lips, and went silent for a long moment. "Your friend, the Uchiha. He's in the worst shape."

Kiba laughed, and immediately felt bad for doing so. Friends, were they?

He supposed they were.

"Pushed himself too far? Damn him. I don't know what he did to bring down that monster, but he deserves a medal."

"For stupidity perhaps. He'll never fight again."

Silence hung in the air. Kiba's face went slack. He stopped moving. The entire world ground to a halt.

"What."

She rolled her eyes, mouth curving into a disapproving frown. "He caused extensive nerve damage to his own arm. It's in several pieces. Really, how he mustered past the pain is beyond-"

"Where is he."

* * *

They were underground by the time they reached the door. Kiba could hear the screaming from the moment he stepped into the hall.

"_Shut the hell up!"_

"_Hold him down! Please sir, we need you to be calm. I know this is stressful to hear-."_

"_Do your damn job then! FIX IT!"_

There was a crash sound, and the clattering of metal on the floor. Kiba approached the door's window, and saw only a mass of white coats surrounding a bed.

"_You've reattached arms, so stop feeding me this bullshit! Heal it!"_

"_The bone fragments make traditional methods impossi-"_

"_LIES. STOP LYING TO ME. DO YOUR FUCKING JOB."_

Kiba turned away from the door, and buried his face in his hand.

"Oh fuck. Fuck. _Fuck_. God Damnit."

"Idiot," the nurse muttered, crossing her arms. "Really, doing that to himself, it's-"

"Do you want your face rearranged, lady?" Kiba growled, looking up at her. He was still hunched over, and despite being nearly a foot shorter, the look in his eyes made the woman step back.

"That's my friend in there, so you can stuff those opinions up your _ass_ where you got them from."

She opened her mouth to retort, but shut it seeing his murderous expression. With a huff, she turned and walked away, leaving him there to listen to the screams.

"_MOVE, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF GARBAGE. FUCKING MOVE!"_

"Fucking hell," Kiba muttered, slumping against the door.

* * *

Sakura arrived next. She sat down next to Kiba eventually, not saying a word. Together they listened to the explanations, and the science, and to Sasuke disregarding all of them.

* * *

Then there was Shino. He paced, back and forth, up and down the hall, buzzing like an angry beehive.

The screams continued.

* * *

By the time Kabuto arrived, a bandage around his head, the explosion had died down. They all sat, listening to the quiet mumbling from beyond the door. Words drifted through.

"_...but I'm afraid with our current capabilities, it's not within our ability to…"_

"This guy," Kiba muttered, clenching his fist. Sakura nodded, saying nothing. Shino walked slightly faster.

Kabuto felt a presence behind him, and stepped aside, allowing the dark-cloaked man to stride forward. His black hair flowed behind him.

He stepped to the door, then stopped. His single eye, glowing red, glanced down at Kiba and Sakura.

"Will he..." the man began. He frowned, and clutched his head. "When you see him, tell him the motion passed. He's an Uchiha again. So is Itachi."

Shisui Uchiha looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself. He returned the way he came, past Kabuto, and up the stairs without another word.

The crest of the Uchiha flapped behind him.

"I guess he got what he wanted," Sakura said. "This was his goal, right?"

"His brother better be fucking happy," Kiba growled.

Kabuto turned away, and allowed himself a smirk. Things were for once, it seemed, going his way.

_Now, for the temptation._

* * *

Worthless.

He was worthless now. His ability to fight was all he'd had to bargain with, and now…

Worthless.

How could he repay the debt on his heart now?

Sasuke opened the door with a slow creak. His right arm, casted, hung from a sling. His eyes were downcast, but with a deep breath, he brought them up as he stepped in.

Itachi stared back at him. His eyes glowed a dull, but piercing red, and his face was hardened in unspeakable rage.

"Sasuke," he said, his word cutting like a knife.

The boy wanted to look away. No, he wanted to sprint away. To never look back, and never have to see that face, and the disappointment, betrayal, and anger.

But he couldn't. Itachi's gaze was magnetic. His body froze.

"I'm sorry-"

"Sorry?" he asked. Itachi looked above all, betrayed. As though Sasuke had committed a sin that could never be forgiven. Like the man had been wounded in a way he'd never expected, and was bleeding now. Silently.

Miserably.

"Tell me it isn't true, Sasuke," he said, not even looking at the arm. "Tell me this is a misunderstanding."

"I…" Sasuke stammered.

"Tell me that you did not do this to yourself," Itachi took a breath, but it was a feeble defense against the storm. "Because of what you thought I wanted."

And in that moment, it clicked into place.

"I... " Sasuke said again, faintly. "...You deserved-"

"All my sacrifice," Itachi continued, ignoring the words. "All I have given to you, and all I have suffered. You threw it all away."

"I didn't mean for it to happen!" Sasuke cried. "It was an accident. All I wanted was to give you-"

"_What?_" Itachi thundered. "A change of location? A last name? What made you think I wanted this? Tell me, how could I have failed so utterly in communicating with you, that you thought I was anything less than happy? _Tell me_."

Sasuke's heart stopped.

"_Tell me how I asked for this!_"

Itachi ripped off the attachments on his arms, and sat up. It was a hideous sight. Long, stringy muscles quaked and rippled over bone.

"Stop it brother! You're going to kill yourself!"

"All I ever cared about was your safety, and you throw it away without a care in the world. _Foolish_ _little brother_."

A luminescent, skeletal hand appeared with a crash of hospital equipment. It swept across the room, knocking through furniture and woodwork alike.

It backhanded the boy like a ragdoll.

Sasuke was sent flying out of the room in a high, long arc, and landed on his back, all the wind gone from his lungs, huddled with his arms to his chest.

He gasped for breath, panic overtaking his whole body. His breath was ragged and deep. All that was left was the animal, scared and cowering.

Itachi hovered in his room, all bone and blood, with streams running from his eyes and surrounded by a massive ribcage.

His eyes were black pits.

"_Run_."

Sasuke scampered away like a wounded dog, thoughtless and flailing. He fell down twice on his way to the stairs, and nearly down them in his haste.

Itachi slowly, carefully touched down on the ground again.

He lurched, revealing just how little weight he had left. He looked frail, and old again. A strong wind, it seemed, could have knocked him over.

With a trembling lift of his legs, he stepped back to his bed amid the wreckage, wiping bloody eyes with a trembling hand.

"How could I have failed you so much, Sasuke," he whispered.

From the shadows, dropping his technique, Kabuto stepped forward, while two lenses reflected a setting sun.

"Itachi Uchi-

* * *

"Tsukuyomi."

Kabuto was on a cross, bound at the foot and wrist. The world was warped. Colors become their inverse. The moon glowed a bright, ominous red, and on it, the pattern of the Sharingan stared down menacingly.

And Itachi Uchiha stood _tall_, and strong. Gone were his human frailties. Gone were the tears. In this world, he was a god. A force of will. Indominible.

Kabuto closed his eyes, and grinned a dangerous smile.

"As expected, from the great Genjutsu Master. I'd always been curious what this technique was like on the inside, to be hon-_erk_"

A sword impaled the grey-haired teen at the navel. It made an awful, wet splash as it cleanly pierced through bone, organ and flesh.

It sat there for an eternity.

When it was gone, Kabuto's legs twitched at odd intervals.

"I'll... c..cut to the chase then," Kabuto said, eyes narrowing. "It isn't over for Sasuke. I can guarantee the repair of his arm. That's what angered you so much, isn't it? That he threw it away so carelessly-"

Kabuto's body slammed back into the cross suddenly, silencing him.

"And why should I believe you?" Itachi replied. His mangekyo whirled, and the black of his pupil contracted ever so slightly. "All your words. All your lies. The Sharingan can see beyond all of them. Perhaps, even farther than you can."

Kabuto felt panic surge, but suppressed it. He shook out a laugh, willing his smile back again.

"What better reason to trust me then?" the teen said, but his smirk was lessened. His body tighter. "If you can really see so far, you know that I will succeed."

"No. Your attempt is doomed to failure. Danzo's forces are insurmountable, and you know this. That is why you are here, attempting to barter with ends you cannot meet."

"But I _can_ meet them, with your help."

"Fool."

A sword slid into Kabuto's arm at the elbow, in a spray of blood. Kabuto screeched and writhed, His eyes wide in panic and fear.

"This is his only chance! Don't you see?" He couldn't lose. Not here. Another nameless, faceless, body in the crowd.

It wasn't _fair_.

"Without me, Sasuke has no future! Danzo has no use for him. He's just a broken Shinobi now. I can fix him. I can take him away from here."

"You underestimate Orochimaru," Itachi said.

A new sword pierced through Kabuto's ankle. He screamed.

"You underestimate Danzo,"

His other arm came off in a flurry of strikes.

"And you underestimate _me_. You think you can play all sides, and remain in the shadows, uninvolved and safe. That you can provoke the Resistance and Konoha against each other, and be there to pick up the pieces once the world has fallen to rubble. You are a fool."

Itachi stepped through the air, carefully and precisely, until he was just in front of the twitching Kabuto, their eyes perfectly level.

"Orochimaru is far more dangerous than you give him credit for. He knows what you are doing, and he allows it because it amuses him. How much longer will that last, if you fail this mission? You stand on the precipice of death, and it is due to your own actions."

Kabuto's mouth curled up into a smile once again, his lips stained with blood.

"No. I _will_ be there when he falls, and when he does, I'll be all that's left to turn to. You threaten me Itachi, but you need me just as much as I need you. So why don't we cut the charade and discuss what's going to happen next?"

This was it. The final gambit. While his mind knew he had won, something deep inside began to cower. There was the fear that maybe he had misjudged.

Then, the cross was gone, and Kabuto was standing on the plains of eternity with Itachi Uchiha.

"I pity you," Itachi said coldly. "You follow in the footsteps of great men, but you are nothing more than a scavenger, hopelessly trying to imitate power."

Kabuto smiled, but the shivering of his body lessened its effect. He'd won the moment he offered for salvation. For all his posturing, the great Itachi Uchiha was nothing more than a sad old shinobi, with nothing left but a broken brother and a history of violence.

"We will see."

And on the field of imagination, two broken shinobi stared at each other, and neither could see what the other saw.

* * *

"Sasuke! What the hell did you do?" Kiba asked, seeing the young Uchiha stagger into the hospital lobby. He had a wild look in his eyes, and he trembled.

"I hurt him," he muttered, still staring at nothing. "I hurt him more than I've ever hurt him before. I…"

He clawed at his hair, gripping it tight enough for Kiba to see his forehead go white.

"How could I have been so stupid!" he yelled, hunching.

"Sasuke…"

"How!"

Sasuke ran, tripping over himself, onto the street, and pounded down the pavement, half off balance. Onlookers peered after him curiously.

"Wait! You idiot, you're going to break your other arm!" Kiba growled, lurching after him. Akamaru followed.

Sasuke ran without any idea where he was going. He had to get away from that place. The sun was setting, leaving the sky in an orange glow. Already, it had been a day since he'd won.

And lost everything.

He looked up and found himself on a grassy hill just before a forest. He glanced around, wildly. A park. Just a place to be with nature.

To the right, he saw a tall, rocky monument, covered with names. He didn't bother to read them.

"Finally!"

Kiba half-hobbled, half-limped up the hill to meet him. Blood ran through the bandages around his torso.

"Fuck this hurts."

"You shouldn't have followed me," Sasuke hissed. "Go back. Get someone to look at that. You'll end up like me."

"Like hell I will." Kiba finished panting, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "What's going on? And look, the thing with your arm sucks, but you shouldn't make things worse then they are."

"They can't get any worse."

"Yeah right."

"All I've done is hurt him," Sasuke whispered, shaking. "From the day I was born. He was always better than me, and mother and father _knew_ it."

Kiba blanched.

"That's... I mean, are you sure they felt-"

"And then, he throws himself in the fire, destroying himself, for _me_. He threw away everything! He could have been the greatest Uchiha there's ever been, and all he got was a worthless, untalented bastard like me."

Sasuke covered his face with his hand, while his broken arm swung in the breeze, as if to taunt him.

"All I wanted was to give him something back. _Anything_. He could have been Hokage, and now there's just me. Now he's..."

Kiba's eyes stretched wide.

"I should have _died in that fire._"

"Don't you fucking do that to yourself!" Kiba roared at him. "He made his choices, and how the hell do you know his life would have been better?"

"Than living out of a hospital? Weak, and feeble, never knowing if he's going to last another day, with nobody but me to keep him company? _Hated_ by everyone?"

"Yes!"

"You understand nothing," Sasuke bit out. "I was a burden, because of my existence. If I'd never been born, he'd never have had to do what he did."

"He didn't have to do anything, and you don't know what would have happened without you, so stop acting like you do!"

Kiba gripped him by the shoulder, painfully.

"The arrogance, to think you can predict the past. Get over yourself Sasuke, and go make up with him. I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"He'll never forgive me," Sasuke muttered, and the hand fell away.

"Not for this."

The world shook.

A deafening wave of sound erupted, followed by a billow of red and black smoke. Up north, near the Hokage mountain, a trail of it stretched up into the sky.

Then, there was another explosion. This one further to the right. Then another. The ground rumbled and quaked.

The sky was a dark purple now, the sun invisible beyond the forested horizon.

"Are we under attack?" Kiba muttered. He winced, and clutched at his side. Sasuke let the Sharingan spin into action, and felt an ache. The electricity was nothing more than a few sparks now.

His vision shivered, and then melted back to normal.

"We can't fight right now," Sasuke said. A coldness crept over his emotions like a great frost.

"Should we go back to the hospital?"

_Pain._

"No. Not there," Sasuke said firmly. "We should get as far away from those places as possible. To the middle of the village, if we can."

"The shit I have to deal with," Kiba muttered, hobbling in the right direction, albeit with more energy and pace. Akamaru hopped onto his head.

Sasuke followed, glancing up at the sky.

It was a full, blood moon.


End file.
